CONCERNS have been raised that Farnham Sixth Form College will lose its sports facilities if its multi-use games area is relocated off-site to Farnham Heath End School, some two-and-a-half miles away.

It comes after planning permission to build 14 houses at the college site was granted by Waverley Borough Council, “with the proviso that the college must replace the facility with a multi-use games area on another part of the site”, according to David Victor-Smith, founder of Farnham Youth Choir.

He raised concerns that college students “now have no opportunity for such informal games activities”, as they are “hardly likely to travel to Heath End School to use a multi-use games area there”.

“It is simply not a viable proposition,” he continued.

John Winter, chief executive of the Weydon Multi Academy Trust (MAT), told the Herald that Guildford College Group approached the MAT after seeing how well used the multi-use games area was at sister school Weydon, by both students and private hirers.

He added that the multi-use games area will compliment the new facilities currently under construction at Farnham Heath End School, set to be built next to the new sports hall on one of the school’s former playgrounds, and will be 100 per cent funded by the college which also submitted the planning application on the school’s behalf.

A college spokesperson said the relocation of the multi-use games area “provides an opportunity for students and staff at both the school and Farnham Sixth Form College to benefit from additional sporting facilities in the town”.

“Farnham Sixth Form College is in no way disadvantaged by this proposal,” they said, adding it “will only enhance the sporting facilities our students have access to”.

A Sport England spokesperson said the new location “does not compromise the sixth-form student’s access to activity and actually improves the sports provision at Farnham Heath School”.

And they added that “Sport England has no objection and it is now up to Waverly Borough Council to determine the planning application”.