Plans to replace an “eyesore” building could help attract more women and girls to play cricket in an inner-city area of Bradford.
Great Horton Park Chapel Cricket Club says its existing changing room facilities are likely to put off potential players – with communal showers and no ensuite toilet provision.
To improve the situation, the club has applied for planning permission to demolish its existing changing room and build a much more modern facility in its place.
Based off Ewart Street in one of Bradford’s most densely populated areas, the cricket club is described as a “green oasis in many eras of housing development, with contrasts between Victorian terraces, to newer more modern construction.”
The application, submitted to Bradford Council, said the improved changing facilities would provide a changing facility that meets the emerging design criteria to encourage women and girls to take up the sport.”
The existing clubhouse on the site will remain.
The application adds: “The old changing block is part prefabricated and consists of outdated and tired changing accommodation, rendered to the pitch elevation, but pebbled unpainted render to the elevation facing the housing.
“It can easily be described as an eye sore.
“The existing changing rooms do not meet any adopted design criteria, are undersized and have no ensuite showering or toilet provision.
“At present players have to exit the changing rooms via a rear door and enter the clubhouse building via a side door and shower in a communal shower area.
“As such, this communal showering arrangement makes it difficult to attract women and girls to the sport and the club has identified this as one of its main priorities.
“The proposal is to demolish the existing changing block and to replace it with a new, purpose-built changing facility, providing two team changing rooms to meet the England and Wales Cricket Board and Sport England design criteria.
“This will provide a large changing space, three shower cubicles and two WC’s in each changing room.
“Additionally, there will be a dedicated umpires changing room with shower, WC, a new room to house the cricket scorers and plenty of storage space.
“The upgraded changing pavilion will generate funds in the form of subscriptions to sustain the site for its sporting use. Without this necessary support facility, the proper use of the playing pitch is not possible.”
A decision on the application is expected next month.
