Floodlight Planning Application - latest news
25 March 2015
GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB
PLANNING APPLICATION REFERENCE: 14/05030/F
PROPOSED FLOODLIGHTING AT THE BRISTOL COUNTY GROUND
Following deferral of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club’s planning application by Bristol City Council’s Planning Committee on 4 February 2015 for the installation of 6 permanent floodlights at the Bristol County Ground, officers of the Club have been in regular dialogue – not only with the Council – but also with representatives of the local community. Addressing a number of concerns that resulted in Council Members deferring the application, the Club and its technical advisers have produced an ‘options report.’
This report has now been submitted to the City Council in support of the original proposal for the installation of 6 permanent floodlights. Click here to read the full report. It should be noted that the proposal has been independently assessed and endorsed by a leading UK lighting consultant (recommended to the Club by a resident local to the ground) and both of the two leading manufacturers of floodlighting solutions.
Following the additional consultation that has taken place, there has been a change to the headframe of the floodlights to improve their design and visual amenity. This change was undertaken in direct response to Committee and public feedback. The Club has also taken into consideration the solutions used by other First Class International cricket grounds and all alternative options have been explored, even those deemed not viable at the Bristol County Ground.
Further to this, the Club has initiated a “Floodlight Usage Management Plan” which has been produced after full consultation with a group of local residents. This plan clearly defines guidance on a number of areas including start and finish times of matches and the testing and maintenance of lights. In particular:
- Apart from essential maintenance the floodlights shall only be used for competitive cricket matches and shall not be used on more than 15 occasions per year unless otherwise agreed in writing.
- The lights shall be switched off as soon as practicable after a match. Domestic day/night matches will conclude by 10.00 pm (T20 matches by 9.15 pm) when the lights will be dimmed. They will be fully switched off by 11.00 pm.
- The floodlights will only be used for Domestic and International Twenty20 ('T20'), 50 over matches (including World Cup matches) and as a 'top-up' for completing 4-Day Championship matches prior to 7.00 pm if required.
The majority of other First Class Counties in England and Wales now have permanent floodlights in place - all bar two: The Bristol County Ground and Durham County Cricket Club (who currently have an application pending approval).
The Bristol County Ground was recently awarded 4 ICC Cricket World Cup matches in 2019. The award of these matches is subject to the installation of permanent floodlights which should meet the International Cricket Council (ICC) guidelines. Without these permanent floodlights being in place, the “award” could be retracted and matches reallocated to other First Class Counties that already stage International cricket. It is clear that to have permanent floodlights at the Bristol County Ground is critical to retain these matches.
If you feel supportive of the Club and its ambitions both as a sporting venue and as part of the community, please take the time to go online (click here) and comment on the application.
If you would like further information about the proposals, please call Matthew Thompson or Richard Brown in the community relations team on 0800 073 1047 or by email matthew.thompson@jbp.co.uk.
