GREEN belt land that was once under threat of being developed into a school campus will now be used for cricket matches instead.

Two sport pitches will soon be laid out on five hectares of agricultural land west of Cannon Lane after councillors sitting on the Maidenhead development management panel unanimously approved plans on Wednesday, January 19.

This will be used by students attending the adjacent Claires Court Junior Boys School in The Ridgeway, off Cannon Lane, and from the Senior Boys School. The privately-owned North Maidenhead Cricket Club will also use it only during the summer months on a Friday evening, and on Saturdays and Sundays.

Speaking at the meeting, headteacher James Wilding said: “Following the forced closure of North Maidenhead Cricket Club, Claires Court has lost access to their two cricket squares in the summer, outfield pitches in the winter, and the supporting club training facilities.

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“North Maidenhead Cricket Club has hosted players for many years. Now homeless, we have the opportunity to return their friendship and secure their 100 years playing history for the club.”

But the school and the council have had a shaky relationship since the local authority rejected plans for it to build a new campus in order to move its senior boys and girls schools onto the site of its junior boys’ school.

It also wanted to build a sports pavilion on the site, which would have been shared with Maidenhead Hockey Club.

A planning appeal hearing was triggered in 2020 in hope to overturn the council’s decision, but the planning inspectorate dismissed the school’s case due to the development’s impact on the green belt and openness.

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The chairman of the Maidenhead planning panel, Cllr Phil Haseler (Con: Cox Gren), who was one of the objectors to the previously dismissed plans, said: “It’s incredibly pleasing to see this planning application come forward and having seen in the local press what made their private club homeless and having to withdraw from the league this year has had an incredible and horrendous effect on both North Maidenhead Cricket Club and Claires Court School.

“I am entirely supportive of this despite my previous history with planning on this site.”