Development and Site Allocations (DaSA) Local Plan - Options and Preferred Options

Yes we agree that land at Sidley Sports Club should be retained for recreational and
sporting use. Furthermore we would ask that the cricket square is retained and the area not put over to just use for football. Sidley CC had played at the sports ground for more 100 years and the cricket facility was one of the best in East Sussex. There were more than 45 matches played there in a season with training and coaching taking place at least 2 evenings a week. Membership of the Club totalled in excess of 80 people with participation from seniors, juniors, boys and girls. Due to the loss of this facility we now only play 9 home matches per season and membership is down around 30.

The closure of the ground means our two senior teams no longer exist as adequate facilities were no longer available for them to compete at the level which they were at.

Our old 3 eleven continues to play and ensures Sidley CC is still active, but is displaced from the local community having to play in the adjacent borough of Hastings. Playing in Hastings and not having facilities for practice means we can no longer offer coaching to develop players or the encourage young people of Sidley to participate in the sport of cricket even though we retain the ability and skills within the Club to do this.

We have been in contact with Rather Council and the Councillors with responsibilities for Sidley who are very supportive of our desire to return to play in the Sidley area. We have reviewed all the current options identified in this plan for cricket. Not one of the options provides for a replacement facility equivalent to that which was provided at the Sidley Sports ground. We believe that the ground should be retained with a configuration similar to that which it had so that cricket and football at senior level can continue to be played in Sidley.