'We are not the baddies', cricket club tells the PM

A cricket club has written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pointing out they and Sports England are "not the baddies" after he referenced the club in a policy speech.

Last week during a speech on the planning system, the prime minister used a development next to Crossflatts Cricket Club, in Bingley, as an example of how bureaucracy can hold up the planning process.

Aire Valley House, a former office building located next to the cricket club, is being converted into 139 flats, after plans to change the building's use to residential were approved in 2021.

But the flats cannot be occupied until a "cricket ball risk assessment" is submitted by the developers and approved by Bradford Council.

The assessment is needed to ensure future residents of the flats are not in harm's way of errant balls from the neighbouring cricket club.

An assessment was submitted last summer, but the council has not signed off on it.

Speaking at an event in Hull on 13 March, Sir Keir said the future of the development was uncertain "because the regulator was not properly consulted on the power of cricket balls".

He continued: "That's 139 homes. Now, just think of the people - the families, the individuals - who want those homes, to buy those homes, to make their life, and now they're held up."

Crossflatts Cricket Club wrote an open letter to the prime minister in response to his comments, calling him out for making light of the "very real risk of injury" posed by a ball-strike.

The letter, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said: "We as a club welcome the development.

"We are forward-thinking and dynamic, and understand that the future occupants of the flats will no doubt spend time enjoying our cricket, becoming members, and visiting our excellent bar.

"We are in no way, checkers or blockers.

"In fact our style, like our cricket, is more power-hitting than forward-defensive."

They added: "The reality here, is that without a proper ball-strike assessment by an approved consultant there is a very real risk of injury or worse to the occupants in the flats - something completely missed by agents acting on behalf of the developers.

"The club and Sport England have no objection to this development, we welcome it, if done properly and with the very necessary safeguards put in place at minimal cost to the developer.

"We will continue to work collaboratively with all parties to achieve this.

"Our club, and Sport England, are not the baddies here."

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