Stapleford Cricket Club can now look ahead to a bright future at a new permanent base, following the approval of plans last night.
Stapleford Cricket Club, Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Broxtowe Borough Council’s Town Fund team have worked together to find the most suitable new location for the club, after it agreed to move from the facilities it shared with a number of other sports clubs and recreational users at Hickings Lane, to allow construction work to proceed on the new Community Pavilion.
After considering a number of options, a site of unmanaged former farmland off Pit Lane, between Stapleford and Trowell, was acquired by Broxtowe Borough Council through the £21.1m Stapleford Towns Fund.
It will be the club’s first home after many years of sharing and renting pitches, featuring eight adult wickets, two junior wickets, and cricket practice nets.
Work will start in spring, beginning with drainage and flood resilience work, before seeding and the construction of the cricket square, and the installation of cricket practice nets.
The pitches will then mature ahead of play commencing in summer 2027, weather-dependent.
Until then, the club will continue to play at Beeston Fields Recreation Ground, supported by the Town Fund.
Work will also now accelerate on a separate planning application for a cricket pavilion, which will be essential for the club to attract grant funding. A temporary pavilion will be provided until a permanent solution is in place.
Ian Jowett, Chair of the Stapleford Towns Fund Board, said: “We’re so pleased that planning permission has been granted and we can now get cracking on Stapleford Cricket Club’s new permanent home.
“A huge thank you to everyone at the club for their patience while we’ve worked through the best options together. Sport is a core priority for the Towns Fund programme, and it’s great we’ve been able to build a solid future for our town’s cricket club.”
Tim Lewis, Stapleford Cricket Club Treasurer, said: “Stapleford Cricket Club is glad that this important hurdle has now been cleared. It means we, as a club, can now have a clear vision moving forward.”
Picture: L-R: Cllr Jan Goold, Pete Scott Stapleford Town Football Club, Cllr Robert Bullock Mayor of Broxtowe, Cllr Milan Radulovic Leader Broxtowe Borough Council, Paul Sweeney Stapleford Towns Fund Board Vice Chair, Dave Watson, Penny Watson MBE, Heather Watson.
