PLANS to build a cancer centre in a well-used playing field look set to be approved - despite residents opposing the development.

Taunton Deane Borough Council's planning committee will discuss the Maggie's Centre plans, which would see a two-storey centre on a plot of land at Galmington Playing Fields, near to Musgrove Park Hospital.

Planners have recommended the application for approval, despite more than 100 residents signing a petition against the development on the playing field.

The committee will discus the application for the centre, which would include a kitchen, exercise room, library and multi-purpose room, and would cater for around 7,500 visits a year providing support for cancer patients and their families, at a meeting on Wednesday evening.

Residents says the land was left as a 'deed of gift' to the people of Taunton in 1931, so therefore the centre should be built elsewhere.

But planners say the application would include provision for a new children's play area, and the playing pitches would not be impacted.

Gareth Clifford, planning officer at TDBC, said: "The main issues for consideration with this proposal are the impacts of the scheme on residential amenity, parking, design and the protection of the playing field use.

"The proposal is to provide a health related community facility that will provide additional cancer care facilities in close proximity to the hospital where space to extend is very restricted. The proposal is therefore considered to comply with policy CP5 of the Core Strategy.

"The development in policy terms would retain the playing pitches and would enable the provision of a new children's play area thus enabling a community benefit greater than the long-term recreational value of the recreational facility that would be lost.

"In addition Sport England do not raise objection as it is considered that the development would not reduce the sporting capacity of the playing field to accommodate playing pitches."

The issue of the deed of gift is not a 'planning matter', according to Mr Clifford.

He added: "The covenant and ownership issues are not planning matters that can be considered in the determination of this application and the issue has to be considered in terms of planning policy. The development is limited in its extent and does not set a precedent for future development elsewhere.

"The access, parking and servicing is through the hospital site and the development will not result in the loss of playing field pitches.

"While the proposal will result in the loss of a children's play area the developer will fund a new play area. The development is a high quality design and is not considered to harm the residential amenity or wildlife in the area and subject to appropriate conditions is recommended for approval."

But the Friends of Galmington Playing Field group says there are more issues to discuss. 

Chairman of the group, Andy Sharman, said: "There's lots of other issues here. 

"They are talking about building on green spaces when we are a garden town. 

"It's concerning how we can say we are a garden town if we authorise this. 

"Access and parking is an issue, it will have an impact on NHS staff who park here.

"Emergency services already struggle to get by."

Mr Sharman added the group feels there is a conflict of interset, with the Deane being the planners, land owners and trustees of the land. 

He added: "The whole thing is wrong. We hope the planning committee have got some common sense."