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New homes plan is just not cricket

Marie Burchill
1/ 5/2008

COMMUNITY campaigners have hit out at a new development which could signal the loss of land at South West Manchester Cricket Club.

Residents and local councillors have launched a barrage of criticisms against the recent proposals – which have set out plans to build 14 three-storey houses on the Whalley Range cricket site.

The cricket club has already sold off some of its land – the former tennis courts – for development and following this latest move campaigners have claimed it won’t be long until the Ellesmere Road site is turned into a housing estate.

However, members of the cricket club have said that they need to sell the land in order to secure the financial future of the grounds.

If granted planning permission the new development of 14 semi-detached houses, with garages, would face Brantingham Road.

Whalley Range councillor, John Grant – who is also a member of South West Manchester Cricket Club – said: "I did not support the club’s decision to develop on this land. The tennis courts have already been sold off, how long will it be before the whole ground is turned into a housing estate?

"I’m really disappointed that the club can’t find an alternative way of developing the land for sporting and recreational use as opposed to selling it off. Once it is sold it is gone and I wonder what the next bit of land will be."

Local resident Tom Kelly has lived on Brantingham Road for the last 45 years. He is ‘disgusted’ by the plans.

Mr Kelly said: "I am outraged with these plans, this is a total over-development of the area. My house looks out directly on to the cricket fields at the moment and I don’t want to live facing a row of houses.

"If they were ordinary semi-detached houses, I wouldn’t mind, but they are three storey buildings. They should consider putting the club prices up rather than proposing developments like this." However, Steve Henderson – secretary of the South West Manchester Cricket Club – said: "It is possible that the future of the club could come under threat if we don’t take action to secure it financially.

"We are approaching our 125th anniversary and we are keen to preserve the club.

"However the new licensing laws have hit us hard, resulting in a loss of income and therefore less money to develop our facilities.

"The strip of land that we have applied for planning approval on is unused and we are hoping to sell it to provide funds to improve the facilities and refurbish the club house.

"We want to secure our long term future and the plans we have submitted have the backing of Sport England, who oversee the protection and improvement of sports facilities."