Planning bosses come out to bat for multimillion-pound cricket centre

Plans for a national home for disability cricket have been approved.The £8m cricket centre will be based at the University of Worcester’s Severn Campus.The scheme is a joint venture by the university with other groups including the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).They say the centre will be the “world’s first inclusive” cricket education centre, open to players of all abilities and disabilities.The proposed building will include indoor net practice facilities, changing rooms and teaching areas.Both the ECB and Sport England have said they will provide financial support for the development.The plans were give the nod at a meeting of Worcester City Council’s planning committee today.Some concerns over parking and increased traffic were raised by residents but councillors backed the plan by nine votes to zero with two abstentions.