A STUDY to see whether Bradford's Park Avenue ground could be used as a hub for ambitious plans to boost cricket participation across the city is set to get underway.

Heads of terms have been agreed on a lease of the site for the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, who are working with Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC), the Yorkshire Cricket Board, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Bradford Council, in a bid to restore the iconic ground to its former glories.

The Foundation has confirmed they will take over the lease on April 1, with feasibility work on whether the ground is suitable for re-development taking place over the coming months.

Although the initial focus will be on increasing grass-roots participation, there is also the prospect of first-class cricket potentially returning to the ground for the first time since 1996, possibly to ease a congested international fixture list at Headingley in 2019.

Taj Butt, community development officer at the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, said three league clubs would use the ground as a home venue this summer, with activities also being put on for local children and schools.

The ground will also be used by Bradford College and the University of Bradford to play home games, and the Foundation is in discussions with the ECB about hosting one of their evening league franchises.

"In the first year, we're going to take over the maintenance of the ground, and try and maximise its usage by the community," said Mr Butt.

"We want to make sure the ground is as busy as possible, and we're determined to make sure community use is a crucial part of the long-term masterplan for Park Avenue."

As part of work funded by Sport England, the ECB has targeted Bradford as one of five cities in which to engage more closely with South-Asian communities.

However, figures in the Council's Playing Pitch Strategy, released in November last year, suggested a current shortage of 18 cricket grounds across the district, with that figure rising to 25 venues by 2021.

The ECB is to fund the feasibility study at Park Avenue, with the work carried out by Seven Architecture Limited of Harrogate, in conjunction with Rex Procter & Partners, based in Low Moor.

"The funding is to create a masterplan to redevelop the ground, and also to identify five sites for new non-turf cricket pitches in the wider Bradford area," said an ECB spokesman.

"The project to enhance facilities in Bradford is a long-term commitment from the ECB."

Announcing the original plans in December last year, Mark Arthur, YCCC chief executive, said a fully-refurbished Park Avenue could be the "jewel in the crown" for cricket in Bradford, but said the feasibility work was needed to see if it could be brought up to scratch.

Phil Barker, Bradford Council's assistant director for sport and leisure, said the work would be completed over the summer, adding: "We are very supportive of the ambitious plans for the redevelopment of the ground, and look forward to the outcome of the feasibility work."