Cricket ball strike fears over housing scheme

Future residents of a new housing estate would be at risk of being struck by cricket balls from a nearby club if the development goes ahead, a council has been warned.

Sport England has objected to plans for 295 homes on Green Belt land off Fleet Lane in the village of Queensbury, near Bradford.

Batsmen from neighbouring Queensbury Cricket Club regularly hit two to three balls a match on to the site of the proposed housing, the sports body said.

Developers Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes said in a planning statement that the scheme would provide "much needed new homes in a sustainable location".

Highlighting concerns raised by the English Cricket Board, Sport England said that the club's square was about 35 metres (115ft) from the boundary of the development site.

"Balls are likely to leave the playing field and land on the application site when matches are being played," a statement said.

"This could lead to damage and injury to both people and property in the proposed development."

The developers would need to carry out a "ball strike risk assessment and any associated ball stop mitigation" for it to withdraw its objections, the organisation added.

In March, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer criticised a "cottage industry of checkers and blockers" when referring to a development in Bingley that has been delayed due to its proximity to a cricket club, due to fears future residents could be hit by flying cricket balls.

Sport England also called on the developers in Queensbury to create more parking spaces.

More than 840 people have written to Bradford Council to object to the application.

However, Queensbury Cricket Club were "ive of the development and see it as an opportunity to increase hip," the Sport England statement said.

Developers said the scheme would "deliver new homes within a defined growth area".

"It will provide homes of a size, mix and tenure that will meet identified local housing needs, enabling local people to live in a house of their choice in an area where they want to live," they said in the planning application.

"It will also make an important contribution to delivering Bradford's housing land supply needs over the next five years."

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