A BID for lottery cash to fund an ambitious scheme to create a centre of cricketing excellence at a Pendle High School is expected to be submitted in the New Year.

The £2 million project took a step nearer reality when the county council's development control committee agreed the plan to build a new sports hall in the grounds of Edge End High, Nelson, despite worries from nearby residents.

The scheme to build a two-storey hall with indoor cricket 'lanes,' changing rooms and other facilities would create a centre for young players to polish up their skills.

Local residents sent in six letters of objection to the plan, raising fears over increased parking, noise nuisance and the visual intrusion of the centre. But the committee agreed outline planning permission when it met on Wednesday.

Head Martin Burgess, said the lottery bid should be finalised and ready to be submitted in the New Year. "We wanted to get planning permission first and get our business plan drawn up and finalised before we put the bid in," he said.

Under current lottery rules, Edge End is allowed to bid for up to 90 per cent of the total cost of the scheme. It has already started moves to raise the balance locally.

Aerospace giant Rolls-Royce has donated £5,000 towards the scheme and other firms have been approached for help.

But Sports Minister Tony Banks, suggested there could be moves by the Government to increase the amount covered by lottery cash in sports schemes such as Edge End's, when he visited the school recently to present prizes during its annual awards evening.

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