Wirral Council urged to back plan for indoor cricket centre in Bromborough

Mar 10 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

WIRRAL Council is being urged not to throw away a chance to have the only indoor cricket centre in the North West.

The ambitious plans to create the north of England’s first specialist indoor cricket pitch, in a disused warehouse in Bromborough, were submitted to the council late last year.

The scheme is due to be heard by the authority’s planning committee tomorrow and council planning officers have recommended that it be refused.

The proposal, by leisure company Eight4Sport, is backed by a number of cricket development bodies including the ECB, Indoor Cricket England, Cheshire Cricket Board and local clubs.

They hope to develop a site in Candy Park, and, as well as three dedicated indoor cricket pitches, nets and practice lanes, also aim to provide facilities for other sports, including indoor netball.

Bromborough ward councillor Steve Niblock said the advice to refuse permission was an “own goal”.

He said: “I’m disappointed it’s been recommended for refusal. There are only two other such facilities in the country.

“This would be a first for the North West and put Wirral on the map for indoor cricket.”