PROPOSALS for an indoor cricket school at Worcester's New Road have been stumped, the county club admitted today.

Worcestershire County Cricket Club chairman John Elliott blamed "horrendous" costs and flood protection policies for a decision to put the project - which has been in the offing for nearly a decade - on hold.

"We're still committed to creating the Basil D'Oliveira cricket school, but have decided not to proceed at New Road," he said.

Mr Elliott said the decision followed a meeting with architects, but said club officials had been concerned "for some time" about the scheme's viability.

"The Environment Agency wanted us to dig a hole to take flood water, which would have cost at least £1.5m," he said.

"The physical and financial impact caused by regular flooding in the winter and the escalating costs caused us to re-think the idea.

"But we're still positive, and are now looking into going into partnership with a leisure provider to create an alternative site in Worcester for an indoor cricket school. It might have three or two lanes."

The club tried to obtain planning permission for an indoor cricket school - dubbed Dolly's cricket temple - eight years ago, when it was expected to cost £1.2m.

Councillors criticised the design as "overpowering" and put off a decision so a compromise could be reached.

Permission was not given until 1996, due to disagreements.

The club felt the design that resulted was cramped. It drafted fresh plans for a centre with at least five lanes after buying the filling station next door.

By then club officials were talking about adding a museum and education centre - and the anticipated cost had risen to more than £4m.

Peter Yates, the head of development planning at Worcester City Council, insisted the planning constraints were vital.

"The site is at a critical point in the flood plain 'red zone', where there shouldn't be any new buildings," he said.

"Ideally, the existing buildings ought to be removed, although I don't think that's realistic."