A new sports pavilion has been approved on the former Deepcut military base in a landmark decision for the site and leaves the developers with “all matters in place” to complete the 1,200 home project.

The former Princess Royal Barracks, a 114 hectare area near Frimley, was first given planning permission for a major residential development. With open spaces, community facilities, a primary school, as well as shops and business space by Surrey Heath Borough councillors in 2013.

Now, more than a decade later “the final application for infrastructure”, a sports pavilion to sit alongside the sports hub and play area, has been green lit with officers telling the Thursday, August 23, meeting they had “finally got there”.

The new pavilion forms part of the recreational facilities the developers are building as part of the agreed benefits of the project and is considered “integral to the successful delivery of the sports hub and the wider community”.

The pavilion will feature dedicated changing rooms for cricket and football teams as well as officials and feature toilets accessible from the outside to allow wider use – such as for people using nearby allotments.

The decision, passed unanimously, means the developers now have all the matters in place to complete Deepcut.

Officers told the meeting: “The final application for infrastructure on Deepcut, we have finally got there.

“I think we are all delighted by that prospect.”

They added: “If you have been to Deepcut recently you will see that they have fenced off the pitch area ready to start the work.”

The layout had already been determined as part of the site’s wider plan, and will feature six changing rooms.

However, based on Sport England feedback that not all would be needed, the plans will allow two of the changing rooms to be easily converted for community purposes – should the need arise.

Developers are on site, the meeting heard, and want to have the project completed by next summer so people should “expect to see a lot of activity on the site in the next six to nine months”.

Chair Councilor Cliff Betton (Liberal Democrat, Mytchett & Deepcut) said: “I think we’re finally getting there.”

Sarita Bishop, principal planning officer told the meeting: “The pavilion’s primary function is to support the sports hub so it is the changing rooms for the football pitches, it is the changing rooms for the cricket pitches, it’s so anyone who is using the tennis courts,  or the muga, if they need to use the facilities, they’ve got access.

“It’s to support the sports hub as a whole rather than become a sort of mini sports centre in its own right.”

Cllr David Witcrift (Liberal Democrat, Mytchett & Deepcut) added: “I’ve been involved with this whole development ever since, in fact before the planning permission was granted in 2014 and of all the things that have created difficulty, I think it’s probably truer to say that this has been the trickiest of the lot.”