NEW cricket facilities will be installed in an inner city park in Bradford thanks to funding from the England Cricket Board.

Outdoor cricket practice nets will be built in Myra Shay Recreation Ground off Barkerend Road, a new planning application has revealed.

The application is for a three lane public open access practice net facility, which would be built to England Cricket Board standards, on a section of the park close to Lapage Primary School.

It is one of the first steps in creating a new “sports hub” at the Council owned facility.

And Council says these cricket nets are one of a number of facilities funded by the England and Wales Cricket Board that are being created across the District, and are due to open by early Autumn.

In 2019 Bradford Council announced a £15m plan to boost sports facilities across the district.

It would involve the creation of three “district-wide multi-sports hub sites.”

Construction of the first, the Wyke Sports Village at the former Wyke Manor School site, began earlier this year.

The other two hubs would be Myra Shay and Marley Playing Fields in Keighley.

The Council has said a consultation on the Myra Shay plans will begin “later this year.”

Myra Shay is the latest Bradford facility to benefit from funding from the England Cricket Board.

£1.8 million ‘urban cricket centre’ - just the second facility of its kind in the UK, to be developed at Bradford sports hall

In January it was announced that the ECB was working with Bradford Trident Council to create a £1.8m “urban cricket centre” at Parkside Sports Centre in West Bowling.

It would be part of a push to get under represented groups, including the South Asian community, into the sport.

When asked about the plans for Myra Shay, Bradford Council said the ECB would fund a number of open access facilities, meaning people don’t need to be a member of a club to use them, across the District.

The ECB was contacted for more details on how much was being spent in Bradford, but has yet to respond.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places said: “The England and Wales Cricket Board has provided funding for the installation of this practice facility and a number of open access Non Turf Cricket wickets for public use to provide additional club, recreational and informal cricket opportunities across the District.

“This planning permission is to enable the installation of a free to access practice facility that forms part of a wider set of cricket installations programmed for delivery late summer/early Autumn of this year.

“This facility will support the planned development of the Myra Shay site in creating a community sports hub where consultation is programmed to formally commence later this year.”

A decision on the application is expected early in August.