The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is celebrating as £50million plans for two new stands at Lord’s have been approved.
Westminster Council waved through the plans at a meeting on Tuesday night, despite concerns from the St John’s Wood Society, and Transport for London.
The plans for new Eldrich and Compton stands, at the north east side of the ground in St John’s Wood, will increase their capacity by 2,500.
There will also be more hospitality and supporter facilities.
The stands are named after the late post-war Middlesex batting pair, Dennis Compton and Bill Edrich. The replacements will keep their names.
In their response, the St John’s Wood Society said it “regretted” the loss of the Clock Tower and said a new site should be found.
It also said it was unhappy about the “scale, height and mass of the redeveloped stands” saying they were “excessive when considered in the context of the adjacent Media Centre.”
Meanwhile TfL said more work needed to be done on the current level of car parking and the increased usage of St John’s Wood Tube station when the work is completed.
The council’s tree officer also expressed concern about the loss of 12 trees on the site without “adequate replacement.”
The proposal, put together by architects WilkinsonEyre was passed unanimously by the planning committee at the meeting. Money from a section 106 agreement will go towards restoring trees at the ground, and job opportunities.
Work will begin after at the end of the season. The MCC is hoping the stands will be ready for fixtures in 2020.
MCC members will be asked to approve the plans at the Club’s AGM in May 2019.
MCC chief executive and secretary Guy Lavender said: “MCC is delighted to receive planning permission for the redevelopment of the Compton and Edrich Stands. We are excited to be commencing another transformational development at Lord’s, and by raising the capacity to 31,000 we will be able to welcome more spectators to enjoy matches at the largest cricket ground in the country, here at the Home of Cricket.
“The redevelopment will be an outstanding addition delivering world-class facilities, ensuring that Lord’s remains the finest ground in the world to watch, and play cricket.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here