School faces call for public access to cricket nets

Sport England wants the practice area at Judd School to have community access

A disputed plan to install new cricket nets at a leading Kent school could be referred to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove.

Sport England wants a 10-lane practice facility at The Judd School, in Tonbridge, to be open to the community.

The boys’ grammar school says it has no plans to make its new sports centre available for public use.

The dispute is highlighted in a report before Kent County Council's planning committee, which is recommending it goes before Mr Gove.

The school, in Brook Street, is applying for planning permission for a new replacement outdoor cricket practice facility.

The cricket nets would be placed on part of the school's existing upper playing fields.

Sport England, which is responsible for developing sport and well-being, has said it does not object to the planning application.

But its support is conditional on the school providing a community use scheme, to include "details of pricing policy, hours of use (and) access by non-school" users.

The school has said it is not proposing any community use of the new facility, which "represents an upgrading and replacement of an existing dilapidated cricket net facility that is only used by the school".

It added that it already provides "extensive community use" at the school’s playing field site near the main campus.

KCC officer Lidia Cook said if planners do not agree to impose Sport England’s condition of public use, the matter will be referred to Mr Gove "for his consideration”.

The planning committee will consider the application at a meeting on 17 April.