Housing development stalls because cricketers can now hit ball further

A major housing development could be delayed by the ability of modern-day cricketers to smash the ball to all corners of the ground.

Approval was given three years ago to transform an empty office building into 139 flats for residential use.

But Aire Valley House borders Crossflatts Cricket Club in Bingley, West Yorkshire, and there were fears residents' homes and cars could be hit by flying cricket balls.

Planners ordered that a 'cricket ball risk assessment' be carried out before work could begin and that has prompted debate and disagreement over the shot-making prowess and power of club cricketers.

This summer developer Aire Valley House Ltd submitted its report detailing velocity, angle of hitting, ball height and distance.

It concluded the risk from flying balls was 'extremely low' as the 70-metre distance from the batsman's crease to the edge of the pitch would be 'difficult to reach' for a 'community player' and a three metre high fence could be erected 'to ensure that no problems' occur. 

However, the report was sent to Sport England who concluded it was fundamentally flawed.

Cricket fans know that in the era of T20 and 'Bazball' big-hitting is all the rage, with new shots being used to hit sixes to all areas of the ground. 

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They include the so-called 'ramp' shot when a batsman sends the ball flying over his and the wicket keeper's head to the boundary behind him.

Crucially, the risk assessment didn't take this into account.

After consulting with the England Cricket Board, Sport England challenged the developer's report.

It said the report only measured distances and calculated hitting from the furthest crease when shots from the near crease should also be measured as in today's game 'shots can be played 360 degrees' around the ground by a batsman.

Sport England said that 'only professional level' hitting should be taken into account as Crossflatts Cricket Club is at a level that allows for professionals to play.

And it added that only suitably qualified consultants should carry out ball strike risk assessments. 

With no details given of the proposed fencing to stop any flying balls, Sport England argued that the information was 'not adequate' to comply with planning conditions.

Concluding that 'residents, visitors and property at the application site could be at risk of both injury and damage from cricket balls. This results in a serious health and safety issue if cricket ball strike is not adequately addressed and mitigated.'

Bradford City Council planners will have the final say on whether the development can go ahead or if more work to assess and prevent cricket ball damage is required.