AN ABANDONED cricket ground in West Drayton is not to be sold for development.

Hillingdon Council has conceded it is planning to demolish the dilapidated pavilion at the old cricket pitch in Cricketfield Road, but has also stated the six-acre site will be retained for community use.

The ground was fenced off in January, fuelling rumours that it was being lined up for sale to a housing developer.

Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell voiced his concerns about the ‘threat’, and called on the council to ‘come clean’ regarding its plans for the site.

“Is this going to be another site that we lose to housing when we so desperately need to protect our Green Belt and our local spaces?” he said.

Jean Palmer, the council’s director of planning, said: “This is council land and there is no plan to sell it to a developer. Once the old pavilion has been demolished, we will work to introduce a suitable use that benefits the local community.”

? What do you think the old cricket ground should be used for? Email us at www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/tellus .