A grammar school’s plan to install new cricket nets could end up in front of the Secretary of State Michael Gove.

Sport England is insisting the 10-lane practice facility at the Judd School in Tonbridge is open to the community.

But the voluntary-aided boys’ grammar says it has no plans to make its new sports centre available for public use.

The differences between the two sides is highlighted in a report due to go before the planning applications’ committee next week at Kent County Council (KCC).

KCC officers are recommending members send the application to Mr Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for determination.

The new cricket nets would be placed on part of its upper playing fields.

Sport England, as the body of government responsible for developing sport and well-being, gets a major say in such proposals.

KCC papers state: “The proposed 10-lane cricket facility would replace the existing dilapidated cricket nets which are currently located in the southwest corner of the school’s on-site lower playing field.

“The proposed new cricket facility would require the installation of an artificial permeable surface area measuring 35m x 40m and would include a retractable netting system for the 10 lanes and include a perimeter fencing measuring 4.5m in height including two lockable gates and a short section of footpath.”

The new nets would be built as part of an ongoing wider expansion of the school estate.

The papers reveal that Sport England initially objected to the scheme as it believes the loss of a playing field was not sufficiently mitigated by the cricket nets and there was no community advantage from the new facility.

Sport England then dropped its first objection but not that of public use.

It said that within three months of the work starting, details should be drawn up of pricing policy, hours of use and non-school access.

It adds: “The scheme shall include the cricket nets, car parking and access to toilets. The approved scheme shall be implemented upon commencement of use of the development.”

The KCC papers state: “The application as submitted and before committee does not propose community use for the replacement cricket facility.

“Upon receipt of Sport England’s view, the applicant has confirmed that they are not proposing any community use of this cricket facility and that this project represents an upgrading and replacement of an existing dilapidated cricket net facility that is only used by the school.”

KCC officer Lidia Cook concludes if the applications committee does not agree to impose Sport England’s condition of public use, it would raise an objection from the body “which, in turn, results in the application being referred to the Secretary of State for his consideration”.

Members meet today (Wednesday, April 17) at County Hall to consider their application.

KCC member for Tonbridge, Cllr Mark Hood, said if the facility was opened up to Sussex Road Community Primary School, which has no sports field, it might go some way to satisfy Sport England's demands.

He added: "We intend to ask for a condition which nails down the use of this facility by Sussex Road school to a minimum of hours rather than the general community which would go some way to satisfy the concerns of Sport England in terms of wider benefits.

"Sussex Road does not have a school field of its own and formalising the arrangements between the two schools to give greater access not only to the cricket practice facility but the rest of the field would be really helpful."