A secondary school has been granted planning permission for a public sports complex which will be built by 2016.

An application for the first stage of Worle Community School’s facility – which is being funded by North Somerset Council – was submitted in December last year.

As part of the first phase of plans for the site off Redwing Drive, a new full-size artificial sports pitch, fitness suite, dance studio, changing rooms and caf� will be built as well as multi-purpose rooms to allow a variety of activities to take place.

Councillors unanimously agreed on the application at a meeting of the authority’s south area planning committee.

A number of services will also move to the new complex including the William Knowles Centre in Winterstoke Road, Weston, and Banwell Pottery in West Street, Banwell, which offer facilities to adults with learning disabilities.

By combining services at the new site the council estimates a saving of �92,000 a year.