Howzat! New seafront attraction welcomed

Brighton & Hove is to have a new virtual indoor cricket pitch this summer. 

Members of the city council’s planning committee have voted to grant permission for the i360 to site a new technology-enabled cricket attraction on the seafront lower esplanade. 

Social cricket

Three wooden-clad buildings will each house a Sixes Social Cricket net alongside facilities for eating and drinking.

The buildings will be converted from shipping containers and will have large areas of windows and sections that open. 

Permission was granted on a temporary basis. The buildings must be removed and the area restored on or before 30 September 2025. 

The application was in line with the plans considered by the special Policy & Resources Committee in February 2023.

At that meeting it was agreed that giving the attraction more time to turn around its financial performance was the best option to maximise repayments to the council and protect the public purse. If successful, the venture could help the i360 repay more of its outstanding debt. 

Carefully considered

A council spokesperson said: “In coming to a decision, committee members carefully considered the implications of planning policies relating to heritage protection alongside those relating to promoting sports/physical activity and to supporting the seafront as a recreation and tourist destination. 

“The scheme is within a popular and lively part of our central seafront and set apart from residential properties.

"The new attraction will add to the variety of entertainment and sporting amenities on offer to both residents and visitors.”