PLANS for the state-of-the-art community facilities that will be the “focal point” of Barton Park, Oxford’s biggest housing development in a century, have been welcomed by a football club chairman.

A new turf sports pitch, multi-use games area and all-weather and floodlit pitch aimed at serving people from both existing Barton and the new Barton Park estate have been put forward to Oxford City Council for approval.

Councillors will review the application from the Barton LPP – a partnership between developers Grosvenor and the city council – that is part of a wider 885-home project on land west of Barton. Work will start on the first 237 homes in June.

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The facilities will become the new home of football teams Headington Amateurs and Barton United, but also serve the 315-place primary school, which will be run by the Cheney Academy Trust that runs Bayard’s Hill Primary School in Waynflete Road and Cheney School in Headington.

Barton Football Club chairman Mick Beesley said he thought the facilities would be “state-of-the-art” but had some concerns about the club accessing them.

The teams currently play at the recreation ground.

The Bayswater Road resident added: “We are unsure whether the criteria will be correct for the level of football Headington Amateurs play at.

“Playing in the Hellenic Football League, there are certain requirements, such as having a railing around the pitch and a small stand. So it is still a bit up in the air.

“We know that one of the junior pitches and the 3G pitches will be fenced off, so we aren’t sure how much access we will get to them.”

The football club will also be built a new sports pavilion next to the main pitch, but plans for the building will be created at a later date.

Mr Beesley said he hoped the pavilion would be larger than the current one and that it would have a bar.

He added: “Currently our small building is the only licence holder for alcohol on the whole estate, so it makes sense that we have a bar in the new one.

“We are hoping for the best.We believe an architect has been appointed so we are looking forward to meeting them and putting forward our ideas.”

The proposals also include car parking spaces and a park area for children.

It is hoped the school will take advantage of the new facilities during school hours.

Barton Community Association secretary Sue Holden added that she was in favour of the facilities, but urged planners to take into account they would need to be large enough to cope with “more than 1,000 people” as well as the existing community using them.