A CRICKET club is seeking permission to improve its facilities, which have not been changed in nearly a decade.

Verwood Cricket Club wants to erect a three-lane cricket practice net and site three storage containers on land at Potterne Park.

In the last nine years, the ECB Clubmark club has grown from running two sides in 2008 to 19 sides in 2017.

During this time, the club’s storage and training facilities have not changed, and storage is limited to one container and some space within the pavilion.

East Dorset District Council, which owns the land, is recommending the club’s plans for approval at its next meeting on Wednesday, May 24.

A report by the planning committee states: “Overall, the proposed storage is judged to be necessary to support the future of the cricket club, which increases opportunities for the beneficial use of the Green Belt for outdoor sport.

"This benefit, when combined with the temporary nature of the siting of the containers, is judged to outweigh the harm to the Green Belt by reason of the impact on openness.”