Howzat! New cricket facilities to be unveiled in City

Cricket fans will be bowled over by a number of new developments planned in Wolverhampton over the coming months.

The City of Wolverhampton Council is working with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to create a new sports facility at Peace Green, Dunstall Road, which will include 3 all weather cricket training nets and a basketball area.

Planning permission was approved in March and initial works are due to begin over the next couple of weeks with the pitches being laid afterwards.

The £150,000 scheme is being jointly funded by the council's Sport Development and Investment Strategy and the ECB, with the new facilities, which will be managed by local community groups, expected to be available for use by members of the public from September onwards.

At the same time, work will begin shortly to install artificial cricket wickets funded by the ECB in 7 parks and green spaces around the City, including East Park; Claregate Playing Fields; Fowlers Park; Newbridge Playing Fields; King George V Playing Fields, Wednesfield; Goodyear's Park off Stafford Road; and Ward Street, Bilston.

The new cricket facilities will be free to use and will compliment a range of other free facilities around the City, including tennis courts and outdoor gyms, and the new £3 million sports development at Barnhurst Lane, Pendeford, which opened in 2015 and offers nine football pitches and a multi use track.

Meanwhile, work is also underway to improve the changing facilities at Newbridge Playing Fields and to create new changing rooms at Barnhurst Lane.

Councillor Hazel Malcolm, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said:

We are delighted to be working with the England and Wales Cricket Board to deliver a range of new cricket facilities in Wolverhampton which will further increase opportunities for local residents to get active. This is another big investment in sport in our City, and these high quality facilities will have a major role to play in improving the health and well-being of the people of Wolverhampton."

Cabinet Member for City Environment, Councillor Steve Evans, added:

We will regularly inspect these new facilities in our parks and green spaces to ensure they are maintained to the highest standards."

ENDS