Phase B of development for Berewood town park has objections from The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) via Sports England. 

Town Park Phase B is required to provide a cricket pitch and pavilion and a multi-use sports area, said the council documents.

Sport England said it was objecting because it did not feel the pans met relevant planning objectives as set out in its guidance. 

Sport England said: “[It needs to] provide sport and physical activity provision which is fit for purpose and well designed.” It said plans need to meet the needs of current and future generations. It needs to encourage people to play sport and be physically active by adapting existing places and through new development. 

It comes as applicant David McCarthy, of West Waterlooville Developments/Grainger PLC, submitted an application to Winchester City Council (WCC) and Havant Borough Council for the next phase of Berewood town park development.

As the town park falls mainly within Winchester district, the city council will decide the application.  

The application form said the reserved matters application seeks to approve the landscape detail for the town park which includes the layout and appearance of the cricket pitch and multi-use sports area.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was also not happy with the application proposals. The letter from Sports England said: “The ECB requests sight of a fuller sports pitch drainage plan to ensure that this aspect of the sports pitches development meets with the required standards.”

It also recommended a ball strike risk assessment from the applicant as it is near to the proposed multi-use games area/courts and informal viewing areas. It suggests a ball-stop netting solution. 

The ECB is asking for temporary cricket pavilion cabins so the cricket pitch can start to be used as soon as possible. The cricket pavilion build is under a separate application 20/02445/REM agreed in March 2022. 

Sport England consulted with other national sport governing bodies for tennis, The LTA, England Netball and Basketball England.

The landscape design statement said: “The proposed play areas and elements aim to provide a variety of play opportunities for the surrounding community. Each play feature is designed to suit its location and offer a wide range of play experiences for users.”

The informal play and kick-about areas are designed to encourage exploratory and sensorial play focusing on the natural features within the park such as vegetation, ponds and ditches.

Ecologically, bat and bird boxes are proposed to be installed on mature and felled trees within the meadows. The varied proposed plant species are said to provide different benefits to the wildlife from native to fruit trees and pollen meadows. These areas will provide habitats for insects and educational play, said the statement.

A decision on planning application reference 24/01695/REM is yet to be made, and was due earlier this year.