Rolleston CC | Development of Ground

Ground Development

News on the Ground Development

Sept 2014. After being held up by the wet weather in the spring, the contractors worked long hours on leveling the ground and laying a comprehensive drainage system aiming for cricket in2016.

Thanks are due to Staffordshire County Council who have bought the land to lease to the club at a peppercorn rent. They have also commissioned and will pay for the ground work. A strip of land 6metres wide between the bank and the new ground has also been purchased.

This is of course is tremendous for the club as we can now finally achieve our aim of consolidating all our activities on one site and increasing our capacity to provide even more high quality cricket for the community.

The laying of the new ground is, however, only part of the development. We will need to increase our changing and associated accommodation. We will also need to provide ancillary equipment for the pitch, e.g. sight-screens etc.

Alan Partington has kindly worked hard to draw up plans for an extension to the pavilion which will comprise a second storey at each end of the existing building. Discussions have taken place with local residents and the East Staffs planning officers, and planning permission applied for.

Considerable funds will be needed for the building work. We have been working closely with our partners at the Staffordshire Cricket Board and Sport across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent to seek grant aid from awarding bodies. It is also clear that we shall have to provide many resources ourselves, not only in the form of finance but also in the form of self-help and labour. We are also responsible for own legal costs.

Senior members have already provided generously of their time to draw up plans, specifications and costings for the work, and Steve Yates is working hard to try to secure new sponsors.

The great spirit within the club is visible everywhere with all teams achieving well, in the junior section (what great advert for the sport last Friday’s Kwik Cricket event was!) and off the field with the Willow Wags arranging a host of enjoyable fund-raising activities.

We will need all of this spirit and goodwill as we strive to complete our plans. Please do all you can to help. No offer of help, no matter how small, will be refused! We need all your skills and efforts.

Watch this space for further news as the project continues.

Access road laid for heavy equipment: