Clubhouse plans lack 'village feel', say residents

A view of the proposed clubhouse from the main pitch at Banstead Cricket Club

Plans to build a modern pavilion at a long-standing cricket club in Surrey have divided opinion among local residents.

Banstead Cricket Club wants to demolish its current clubhouse, which it says was only designed to last 10 years but has stood for six decades.

It wants to replace the building with a two-storey facility which the club says conforms to standards set by Sport England and cricket’s governing body.

While most residents agree that the current clubhouse needs updating, some say the new design is too big and would “ruin the village feel”.

A planning application before Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has already received more than 270 comments, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The 107 objections largely focus on fears of a potential increase in social events at the site, in Avenue Road, which they say could have a negative impact on people living near the ground.

Banstead Cricket Club said its existing clubhouse was built 60 years ago

The 182-year-old club has an entertainments licence until 01.00 BST but says it is rarely used and that the events held usually stop serving alcohol at 23:00.

Club chairman Neil Bowman said: “The most important thing to stress is that Banstead Cricket Club is a cricket club - we are not trying to just suddenly become an events business.

“We need something bigger and we need something that has more than one room. We need to have other areas where people can hang out, or have a team meeting.”

The club said that Sport England and the England and Wales Cricket Board have been consulted over the ideal sighting for the new building and the internal layout.

Its new location will allow spectators to watch matches from either of the club’s two pitches.

The club has also said it will refurbish its pavilion and extend its carpark.