Cricket club to relocate after ground approved for rugby redevelopment

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

A cricket club whose ground is facing redevelopment into a professional rugby venue has been granted planning permission to relocate.

Swansea Cricket Club brought down the curtain on a very long stint at St Helen’s last summer ahead a move to Swansea Civil Service Cricket Club’s ground at Bishop Gore School playing fields in Sketty.

It had been a tenant at Swansea Council-owned St Helen’s and had to relocate because of plans by regional rugby side the Ospreys and the council to redevelop the seaside cricket and rugby ground into an 8,000-capacity rugby venue. The reconfiguration of the ground to increase spectator numbers would remove much of the cricket outfield.

The council approved the first phase of the St Helen’s redevelopment last August and has committed around £1.5m to fund the cricket club’s relocation and other preparatory works.

A new cricket square has been laid at the replacement ground off Sketty Lane and drainage improved, and Swansea Cricket Club applied to the council to build a new clubhouse and covered practice nets, upgrade the vehicle access and install safety netting to prevent cricket balls landing on the road or pavement.

A planning statement on behalf of Swansea Cricket Club said at the time of writing last September it hadn’t been ascertained if it and the civil service club would merge or retain their separate identities but there would be a shared responsibility for ground maintenance and pitch preparation.

The planning statement said the proposed modular clubhouse would be set back from Sketty Lane and operate as a year-round community hub, and that the ground’s existing changing rooms and tea room would be used for storage.

It added that the primary access to the revamped ground would be via Cwm Farm Lane, off Derwen Fawr Road, with the existing access off Sketty Lane locked and available for emergency vehicles only.

Objections 

The prospect of lots of cars using the single track Cwm Farm Lane led to many objections from nearby residents and concerns from the council’s highways department. One objector’s letter said: “Converting this peaceful lane into a vehicle access route would cause lasting harm to local character, tranquillity, and the enjoyment of this public space.”

Sketty councillors asked for the application to be called in for determination by the council’s planning committee, but amended proposals were then put forward retaining Sketty Lane as the primary access and upgrading visibility for drivers using it. There’all also be a “left in, left out” arrangement. A transport report on behalf the cricket club said a 32-space car park was proposed within the ground, plus six bike stands.

The Sketty councillors dropped their call-in request and the planning application has now been approved, subject to conditions including the upgrade of the retained access.

A planning officer report setting out the approval said the two clubs will merge and use the pitch on alternate Saturdays. Swansea Cricket Club’s first team played in Division 1 of South Wales Premier Cricket League last summer, finishing bottom. Swansea Civil Service Cricket Club’s first team came fifth in Division 2 of the South Wales Cricket Association.