Boldon Colliery: Plans in for new all-weather cricket nets at sports club with long-standing community legacy

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received an application for the home of Boldon CA Cricket Club, off Cotswold Lane, in the Boldon Colliery ward.

The sports ground includes several football pitches and a cricket pitch and applicant Boldon CA Sports Club is seeking planning permission for a “high quality sports facility” on an “unused brownfield site”.

This includes “the installation of an all-weather two lane cricket training net [and] an open steel frame carrying nylon nets standing 4m tall surrounded by a gated galvanised steel fence standing 2m tall.”

An application form submitted to council officials provides more details on the plan and the site proposed for development.

It states that the land was “fenced off many years ago” and that “substrate is building rubble from the demolition of colliery buildings that stood here in the past.”

An open space assessment also submitted to the council notes the redevelopment “represents a significant investment in the future of the community” and would redevelop a site that has “remained unused and neglected for years”.

It was noted that plans aimed to “transform this dormant space into a state-of-the-art, all-weather cricket practice facility, addressing the community’s recreational needs and enhancing local amenities without sacrificing existing open spaces”.

Those behind the scheme said the development would introduce a third “non-turf practice facility” to South Tyneside, “benefiting not only the Boldon Colliery community but the entire borough as well”.

It was argued that the plans would “not only attract new generations of members but will also reinforce the club’s long-standing legacy within the community, a place it has proudly served for over 120 years”.

The open space assessment adds: “By transforming an unused and neglected area into a functional, vibrant green space, the project not only enhances the sporting facilities available to the local sports club but also provides a valuable communal asset.

“The adherence to the England and Wales Cricket Board’s standards ensures that the new non-turf practice facility will be of the highest quality, offering a safe and consistent environment for athletes.

“This project demonstrates a strong commitment to both community engagement and policy compliance, setting a benchmark for future developments.

“The revitalized site will foster a healthier, more connected community, enrich the lives of local residents, and support the development and well-being of young people through improved access to sports and physical education.

“Ultimately, the successful completion of this project will serve as a model of how thoughtful redevelopment can breathe new life into underutilized spaces, creating lasting benefits for both the immediate community and future generations.”

If approved, planning documents state the construction of the cricket practice facility is expected to take between two and four weeks.

Applicants state that the practice facility would “provide a reliable, all-weather option, ensuring training continuity even when the cricket outfield is in use for matches or impacted by adverse weather conditions”.

It was also noted that remaining open space would be “maintained to accommodate further coaching and training needs” at the sports ground.

A decision on the planning application is expected following a council consultation exercise.

Comments can be made on the plans, via South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website, until May 20, 2025.

For more information on the planning application, or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search planning reference: 250244