Hensingham ARLFC Wants New Changing Rooms as the Girls' Teams Take Off Hensingham Rugby Club Applies for New Changing Rooms After Membership Growth

Hensingham's grown so much, especially the juniors and the girls' and women's teams, that the old changing rooms can't cope. Plans are in for a new block.

If your kids play at Hensingham, or you turn out for them yourself, this is your club's news. Hensingham ARLFC, off Cleator Moor Road in Whitehaven, has put plans in for a brand new changing block.

The reason's a good one. The club's been growing fast, and the plans say the old changing rooms are past it and too small for the numbers now. In the words of the planning statement: "Membership has increased significantly, particularly within the junior sections and the rapidly expanding girls' and women's teams."

So what's in the new building? Four team changing rooms with showers and toilets, two for the officials, an accessible changing room, a plant room and some storage. There'd be 60 solar panels on the roof too. It'd be off-white render with a steel roof, and the way in and the parking would stay just as they are.

The wildlife side's been checked. A survey in March found nothing protected on the patch where it would go, which is described as poor grassland. Sprucing up the rest of the grass could leave the site better for nature than it is now, by about 19 per cent, according to the report.

It's application 4/26/2315/0F1, and it's waiting on a decision from the council. If you want a look at the drawings or to have your say, pop that number into the planning search on the Cumberland Council website.

Hensingham Amateur Rugby League Club in Whitehaven has applied to Cumberland Council for a new building with four team changing rooms, saying its current facilities are outdated and too small after strong growth in junior and girls' rugby.

This is for players, parents and supporters at Hensingham Amateur Rugby League Club, and for neighbours on Cleator Moor Road in Whitehaven. An application has gone in to Cumberland Council for a new purpose-built changing facility at the club.

Documents with the application describe the existing changing rooms as outdated and too small for current numbers. The club has seen what the documents call "sustained growth" in recent years. A planning statement says: "Membership has increased significantly, particularly within the junior sections and the rapidly expanding girls' and women's teams."

The proposed building would have four team changing rooms with showers and toilets, two officials' changing rooms, an accessible changing room, a plant room and storage. The plans show 60 solar panels on the roof. The building would have off-white rendered walls and a profiled steel roof, and the club's existing access and parking would stay as they are.

An ecology survey in March found no protected or notable species on the part of the site where the building would go, which was assessed as poor-condition grassland. Separate proposals to improve the remaining grassland could give an overall biodiversity net gain of 18.76 per cent, according to a report submitted with the application.

The application, reference 4/26/2315/0F1, was made by Stobbarts Ltd, with Day Cummins Ltd as agent, and was validated on 8 October. It is now awaiting a decision. To see the plans or comment, search for that reference on the planning pages of the Cumberland Council website.