Telford community club’s bid to help create next generation of Ashes heroes
As the England men’s cricket team prepare to take on rivals Australia in the Ashes a Telford community club have announced plans to create the next generation of red ball heroes.
Volunteers with Allscott Sports and Social Club have applied to Telford & Wrekin Council to install a three-lane cricket training facility and a non-turf cricket pitch at its site in Shawbirch Road.
The club on the site of a former British Sugar beet factory want to “improve and expand their junior training provision” according to plans lodged with the council.
A council official, Stephen Quinn, has taken on the role of planning agent to guide the proposal through the process for applicant Jason Allen of Red Lake, Telford.
Planning documents lodged with the council reveal the proposals for “enhanced and superior design and specifications”.
Equipment provider Dura-Sport, of Leicestershire, has provided information to the council about the two-day construction process.
The company said that “Dura-Sport non-turf cricket pitches are able to offer cricketers the closest experience in both performance and appearance to a match day environment on natural grass”.
Planning documents said the proposal would mean having to create a 10 per cent biodiversity enhancement.
They are proposing to pay a contribution so that this could be created somewhere else because paying for on-site measures would cause practical and financial problems for the club’s volunteers.
“Impacts of the proposed development upon biodiversity will be minimal, with only modified grassland habitat being impacted and footprint of development proposed being small,” said an ecology report presented to planners.
“The purchase of offsite units is planned to secure net gains where delivery is more feasible and achievable.
“Allscott Heath Cricket Club is a small community organisation run by volunteers, the limited means of the organisation would make the delivery of significant on-site gains challenging both practically and financially.”
The application said that a range of sporting and social activities take place at the club including football, bowls and cricket.
“The securing, monitoring and management of significant on-site biodiversity uplifts would strain the limited resources of Allscott Heath Cricket Club and limit their ability to deliver such a valuable service to the community,” said the planning documents.
“By purchasing offsite units the development will address its statutory requirement to deliver a net gain for biodiversity and secure a more sustainable future for the cricket club.
“Final details of offsite units purchased will be submitted as part of the Biodiversity Gain Plan post-determination of the planning application. The aim will be to source units from a registered habitat bank as near to the development site as is currently possible.”
Full details of the proposal are on Telford & Wrekin Council’s planning portal where a public consultation exercise has been opened with the reference TWC/2025/0786.
