Hawarden Park Cricket Club receives green light for new pavilion plans

A historic Flintshire cricket club has receive the green light for long-awaited plans to create a new pavilion and pitch.

Hawarden Park Cricket Club (HPCC) moved from its base of more than 140 years within the grounds of the Gladstone Estate in 2016.

The club relocated to a site on Moor Lane in the village after “outgrowing” its old home, with its popularity said to have caused problems for the estate’s farms shop business.

However, the club which counts British prime minister William Gladstone and footballer Michael Owen among its former players has been without a pavilion since.

With players forced to get changed in portable cabins, proposals were submitted in August to provide improved changing facilities and a function room.

Flintshire Council planning officials approved the scheme yesterday (Wednesday, 3 November) using delegated powers.

In the application documents, agents acting on the club’s behalf said the development would help to ensure its future success.

They said: “The Hawarden Estate hosted HPCC since 1866 and wishes to go on doing so.

“However, despite recent investment in the previous ground adjacent to Hawarden Castle, the club, which has enjoyed unprecedented success and expansion over recent years, had outgrown the existing facility.

“In 2015 the estate identified a site at Moor Lane for the development of a new ground, which would keep the cricket club within the catchment area for Hawarden and enable it to grow and attract grant funding which is essential to the long- term future and success of the club.

“This detailed planning application will replace existing temporary cabins and provide changing facilities and a function room in order to allow the club to survive moving forwards and act as a community focal point.”

The old site was said to be unsuitable for expansion due to its close proximity to the Grade I-listed Hawarden Castle.

It meant the club was unable to access England and Wales Cricket Board and other grant funding because it only occupied the ground as a licensee.

The plans will see a rain water recycling system introduced, with the new pitch and pavilion designed to standards which would allow it to attract grant money in future.

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).