Councillors unanimously voted in favour of proposals to make Portsmouth Cricket Club in Eastern Parade, Southsea, more accessible for women and people with disabilities during a meeting last week.
As part of the scheme, store rooms in the existing club house will be repurposed and the ground floor will be extended slightly, allowing for three separate changing rooms to be built – as well as a disabled toilet.
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The regeneration project will be paid for by £75,000 that has been raised by club members through various fundraisers.
During a virtual planning committee meeting a spokesman for the club said: ‘Portsmouth Cricket Club is a community-focused, volunteer-led cricket club that cares deeply about cricket in Portsmouth, increasing participation in the game and the health and mental benefits of sport more generally.
‘As a club at the heart of Portsmouth community we take a lot of pride in our colts set-up. The club has about 350 colts plus parents and social members.
‘We are incredibly pleased that in recent years we have been attracting more and more girls to the game of cricket.
‘Unfortunately our club house is now over 50 years old and was deigned in an era when women’s cricket was not a consideration. The layout of the club house reflects this.’
As well as the interior changes to the club house, known as St Helen’s Pavilion, it is planned new white cladding will be installed on the outside and new insulation will be used to make it more energy efficient.
Councillor Terry Norton supported the plans. He said: ‘Portsmouth Cricket Club is a fantastic local cricket club and something that allows multi-sex changing and disabled facilities is clear cut.
‘It is fantastic they are working hard to promote women’s sport and get girls involved in sport.’
Cllr Lynne Stagg agreed. ‘We need to support as many local clubs as possible, especially following Covid as so many people have missed out on sport and exercise,’ she said.
All eight councillors voted to approved the plans.