Elite Cricket Academy for Darwen?

The Darwen Town Deal Board, which includes Lib Dem Town Council Leader John East, has agreed to spend £25,000 looking at the feasabiliy of developing an elite cricket academy based at Darwen Vale High School. The Board Cairman Wayne Wilde said,"An elite cricket academy would be absolutely fantastic for our town and for the chances of our sporting youngsters. The proposal has been put forward by the Aldridge Education Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) which has recently also successfully established a similar £2m facility at another of its academies in Brighton."

It is intended it will have close links with both Darwen Cricket Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club.

This follows on from two major sporting investments of £250,000 to develop the skate park at Darwen Vale and £250,000 to develop community facilities at AFC Darwen.