ONE of Huddersfield's two sixth-form colleges hopes to take its sporting facilities into the next decade by creating a new multi-sports pitch.

Greenhead College wants to create the synthetic grass pitch and sports pitch on land behind the college in Greenhead Road.

The college has applied to Kirklees Council for planning permission to create the 70m by 70m pitch, access ramps, vehicular access, fencing and floodlighting.

Principal Martin Rostron said the plans, due to be decided by planning officers later this month, were part of longer term proposals to improve sporting facilities at the college.

"We are trying to look ten years ahead and these plans are part of a longer term plan for sport at the college in the future," he said.

Mr Rostron said the pitch would be used for five-a-side football and hockey, plus new netball and basketball courts.

He said teams from the college were competing at a national level and these new facilities would help them improve to meet those levels of competition.

Currently students have to travel away from the college and use other facilities for training and matches he said.

The college runs advanced level PE courses and also has hundreds of students involved in recreational sport.

Money for the project is to come from the college budget.