Taller floodlights planned for cricket ground

Lighting at the County Ground is in line for an upgrade

Taller floodlights could be built at the County Ground cricket stadium in Derby, plans show.

Planning permission is being sought from Derby City Council for six 51m (167ft) columns to replace the existing 33.5m (109ft) floodlights installed at the Nottingham Road ground 15 years ago.

Derbyshire County Cricket Club chief executive Ryan Duckett said that while the proposed lights are taller, the shine would be "more targeted", so should have a smaller impact on residents.

The proposals are being funded by Derbyshire's share of the England and Wales Cricket Board's sale of The Hundred league franchise, which Mr Duckett said was worth approximately £24m to the club.

He told the BBC the floodlight project is one of several investments in the pipeline, ranging from upgrades to the pitch's outfield to the club's hospitality area.

He hoped the new lighting would "be in place for the start of the next season", should planning be granted.

'Technology moved on'

Mr Duckett said: "It should actually be better for local residents in terms of the impact that the lights have, so we're reasonably confident that [planning permission] will go through.

"It will be a better spectacle for people in the ground as well, but also probably even more importantly, for our players.

"As technology has moved on over the last few years, when our players go to play away at venues that have invested in new floodlights, it really stands out here that the lights do need improvement."

Derby City Council is expected to rule on the application by the end of October.