Alex, best of luck with your development side. The panel put forward some interesting and useful suggestions, but I would just like to add one from personal experience.

One of the developments in recent years is for junior sections to be more concentrated within larger clubs sucking in juniors from the surrounding area. Therefore, as an alternative to setting up a 'new' side, another option might be to look at a local smaller club(s) who might welcome an influx of new talent and be able to 'bring them on' to a stage where they would get into your 3rds. Obviously this is not without its own issues (player development, suitable adult guidance, transfer back, etc) but it does have some easy wins (smaller club has access to keen juniors so fielding teams becomes less of an issue, larger club benefits from having more opportunities for their players at the right level and without having to find a pitch!). I am currently in such an arrangement and whilst it isn't perfect there are far more positives than negatives two years in.

One final point, whether you go the direct or tie-up route, don't forget the potential for dads to help out - they often make great senior players in the team, being happy to drop down the order and not bowl in deference to the juniors which is sometimes a harder sell to existing adult players.