Major milestone reached for Lancashire Cricket's new second home

By Rob Kelly

29 Nov 2024

Alice Clarke Matt Merchant Cllr Phillippa Williamson Tom Bailey Behind Paul Allott And Cllr Aidy Riggott

The new second home for Lancashire Cricket in Farington reached a new milestone.

The professional pitch and natural turf section of the training has now been handed over to Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Cricket, so they can be developed and maintained.

To mark the milestone, Lancashire cricketers Tom Bailey and Alice Clarke visited the new pitch, which is destined to be their second home, along with the club's head groundsman, Matt Merchant, and former Lancashire and England bowler Paul Allott.

They were welcomed by Councillor Phillippa Williamson, leader of Lancashire County Council, and Councillor Aidy Riggott, cabinet member for economic development and growth.

Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Cricket are working together to build the new facility, which will bring together elite and community cricket in one place.

Work started on the project in November 2023, with the aim of seeing its first innings played at the ground at the start of the 2026 cricket season for up to 5,000 spectators.

The development will provide two pitches, one professional and one for the community, and a training area.

The construction of the new cricket facility is being carried out by Lancashire-based Eric Wright Construction, whose headquarters are in Bamber Bridge.

 

Councillor Phillippa Williamson said: "This pioneering facility is one of a kind in the UK, and we're incredibly proud and excited to be delivering this in Lancashire.

"A huge amount of progress has been made and we're now working through the handover process for the professional pitch and part of the training area, which will allow the pitches to be developed and maintained while other works continue.

"We'll now be working hard to complete the community pitch and pavilion, which will pave the way for a new generation of cricket stars."

 

Matt Merchant said: "It is a really exciting day for the Club as we receive the handing over of the professional cricket oval from Eric Wright Construction.

"On behalf of everyone at Lancashire Cricket, I would like to thank Eric Wright Construction for all of their hard work and efforts in helping us to reach this milestone.

"Specialist work will now begin to take place by our grounds team in order to ensure the pitch is bedded in and prepared ahead of cricket taking place at Farington during the 2026 season."

Much of the focus on the remaining work will be on the cricket pavilion, with the foundations now being laid. Work will also continue to complete the outfield on the community pitch.

Once it's complete, the Farington facility will become Lancashire Cricket’s second home after Emirates Old Trafford, to provide a stable pathway for the next generation of cricket stars. The site will serve as a North West Centre of Excellence for the women's game.

 

The ECB has provided £1.6m in funding towards the development.

Find out more about the project at lancashire.gov.uk/cricket

Enjoyed this? Read more from Rob Kelly

Latest news

1

VARS Technology team up with debt resolution specialists to fight fuel theft David Nichol John Garnett Aydan Jones and Laura Tilley

VARS Technology team up with debt resolution specialists to fight fuel theft

12 Sep 2025

2

University of Lancashire unveils Preston campus installation to celebrate name change University of Lancashire new feature

University of Lancashire unveils Preston campus installation to celebrate name change

12 Sep 2025

3

PM+M welcomes ten new apprentices for 2025 intake Lucy Field, Kate Walsh, Ellie Fisher, Zainab Aswat, Reece Jones, Aisha Bibi Patel, Finley Vila, Uzair Zariwala, Richard Prest, and Charlie Harrison

PM+M welcomes ten new apprentices for 2025 intake

11 Sep 2025

4

ROCCIA strengthens commercial division with senior appointment Andrew Grove

ROCCIA strengthens commercial division with senior appointment

11 Sep 2025

5

Final call for investors: Rossendale community solar project must hit target by November Gary McEwan managing director of Interfloor

Final call for investors: Rossendale community solar project must hit target by November

10 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs
Sub36 Deaf Village Social1200
Networking
17 Sep 2025

Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs

The Deaf Village, Blackburn, BB2 5EN

10:00 - 12:00

LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Longridge Soap Box Derby
Screenshot 2025-06-10 090035.png.png
LBV Hub Fundraisers
14 Sep 2025 - 14 Sep 2025

Longridge Soap Box Derby

Berry Lane, Longridge, PR3 3WH

10:00 - 16:30

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!
Preston Tech Connection Sept 25.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Sep 2025 - 16 Sep 2025

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV 123 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin