Decision day for cricket centre

A decision will be made next week on whether to allow a major multi-million-pound cricket centre to be built in the city.

The international cricket centre would be built at the University of Worcester’s Severn Campus off the city’s Hylton Road as part of a major expansion of the site.

Worcester City Council’s planning committee meets next week to discuss the proposals with a recommendation from planning officers that the scheme is given the green light.

The city’s university has been working for several years with England Disability Cricket, the Worcestershire Cricket Board and County Cricket Club and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to create the world’s first inclusive cricket education centre.

Creating the new ‘internationally inclusive’ cricket and education centre will provide a national home for all forms of disability cricket.

A report, due to be discussed by councillors at the planning meeting in the Guildhall on January 27, said: “The proposed development would result in some economic benefits; employment during construction and thereafter upon the operation of the development would contribute towards maintaining the vitality of local services and facilities.

“There will also be benefits in the continued support to education, learning and supporting diversity that would arise from the development.

“The building would be a landmark and well-designed building that would also enhance the character of the area and support the continued regeneration.”

The work, which will be carried out as part of plans to create a ‘health, wellbeing and inclusive sport centre’ to accompany the University Arena will create new walking and cycling routes and green spaces throughout the campus as well as cycle storage for almost 300 bikes and 300 car parking spaces including 100 electric car charging points.

Worcestershire County Cricket Board estimates that an additional 8,000 people will benefit from the centre every year including young children, disabled athletes, women’s squads and students.

Around 7,500 schoolchildren in Worcestershire play cricket every year and there is a hope that the new centre will push that up to 40,000 within three years.

A statement included with the application said: “The centre will cement the university and Worcester’s position as a global leader in inclusive sport and physical education and will advance further opportunities for research and collaboration in this regard.”