Plans have been submitted to upgrade the cricket pitch on the Sandringham Estate to an all-weather surface.
Sandringham and Dersingham Cricket Club has applied to King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council for the £9,000 upgrade.
The upgraded cricket pitch on the Sandringham Estate is intended for the club’s senior and junior players.
The planning application says the new artificial turf can be used whatever the weather, which would increase “playing and training hours for the local community”. It would also protect the natural turf square from rain or heavy use.
A planning statement said: “The facility will provide high-quality, weather-resilient practice and playing capacity for the club’s junior and senior members without overburdening the main grass square.”
National media have reported that the pitch upgrade should please the Royal Family as King Charles’s granddaughter Charlotte likes to play cricket.
A family video released to mark her 11th birthday in May showed Princess Charlotte bowling a cricket ball.
Sport England told planners that the artificial turf “will help support the growth of junior cricket at the club at the same time as reducing wear and tear of the grass pitches and also the burden on volunteers to prepare fine turf pitches.”
The application has attracted positive comments from residents on the planning portal.
One resident told planners: “This is a much-needed amenity to the club. Women and girls’ cricket within Norfolk and this club is expanding bringing in new players which in turn requires the club to hold more matches and practice sessions placing additional wear and tear on the existing cricket square.
“Two years ago, there was no women and girls’ section. An artificial strip as per this application supports this club growth.”
