Nine five-a-side football pitches could be built on council-owned land opposite a Northampton school

Nine new five-a-side football pitches could be built on council-owned land if a planning application gets the go ahead.

Powerleagues Five Group, which runs 41 sites across the UK and the Netherlands, wants to use land next to Northampton Academy, off Wellingborough Road.

The company said six full-time jobs would be created if the pitches and other work was completed. That would include fencing, floodlights, hardstanding, an accessible ramp and a pavilion. The site is currently used by the school for a 11-a-side football pitch.

Powerleagues Five Group wants to open the facility on land owned by West Northamptonshire Council from 5pm until 10:30pm Monday to Friday and between 10am and 8pm at weekends. It has said 87 car parking spaces for the site would be retained but wants to add 10 cycling spaces.

It runs clubs across the country, including others in Milton Keynes and Coventry, with another in Amsterdam.

Northampton Academy was rated as outstanding by Ofsted following an inspection in March.