Philadelphia cricket club at heart of the community in bid for better facilities
Plans for new practice facilities at a city cricket club have been submitted to council development bosses.
Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for the Philadelphia Cricket and Community Club in the city’s Copt Hill ward.
According to its website, the club was established in 1868 and operates from its Bunker Hill ground “at the heart of the local community in Philadelphia”.
The club also runs a number of senior teams and junior teams and through its ‘junior academy’, aims to “provide opportunities for young people to play cricket and to develop their cricketing skills”.
The club website adds the club is “proud of its record in giving many local young people their first taste of cricket, whilst at the same time supporting the most talented youngsters in achieving representative honours at county and national level.”
New plans submitted to council officials aim to “remove existing practice nets” at the cricket club’s base and replace them with “new two lane practice nets”.
The planning application states the total floor area of the new nets would be around “190 square metres”.
Floor plans describe the structure as a “two lane enclosed cricket practice net facility” and list the features of the development.
This includes “premium grade woven synthetic playing surface carpets per lane”, along with a batting area and bowling area, a netting system and “cage sockets set into concrete foundation”.
A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.
Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website lists a decision deadline of March 11, 2025.
For more information on the plan or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/02357/FUL