PLANS for floodlights at Middlesbrough Football Club's village training ground have been criticised.

The Premiership club has lodged an application with Darlington Borough Council to build eight floodlight columns at its Rockcliffe Park venue, in Hurworth Place, near Darlington.

The columns would be 15 metres high and fitted with filtered glass to prevent "light spillage" from the sides.

Councillor Peter Foster, borough councillor for Hurworth, said he had been made aware of some local objections.

He said: "I went up myself and had a look at where they are going to be.

"The training ground is surrounded by large trees and I cannot see them interfering.

"However, some people have complained and the application will go through the planning process."