Edgbaston plan continues after legal bid rejected

AN eleventh hour bid to prevent the £30m redevelopment of Edgbaston cricket ground from going ahead has been rejected – clearing the way for the ambitious scheme to progress.

A group of residents concerned about the scale of the development and the impact the scheme would have on their homes had taken their case to the Court of Appeal.

However, their application was yesterday rejected – a decision ground owner Warwickshire County Cricket Club described as “fantastic news”.

Immediately after the legal decision was announced, WCCC said the redevelopment would continue as planned and remained on schedule for completion in summer 2011.

The ground regeneration will see the construction of a major new stand on the south side of the ground, set to increase spectator capacity to 25,000.

In addition, a 500-guest capacity banqueting suite and exclusive new members’ areas will be erected and the façade of the ground completely transformed.

The old pavilion and adjoining conference suite has already been demolished, paving the way for the new pavilion area, which will host state-of-the-art facilities for players, officials and the media.

Colin Povey, WCCC chief executive said: “The redevelopment of the ground is critical to ensure Edgbaston keeps its competitive edge and remains a worthy contender in the race to secure international matches.

“The result is not only fantastic news for us, our players, members and cricket fans, but also for the economy of the West Midlands.  There is great excitement at the club about the proposed changes and I hope we can now look forward to starting the building work without further delay.”

“The next 18 months will be an important chapter in the history of Edgbaston and Warwickshire County Cricket Club.  Our plans have received strong support from the City Council, Advantage West Midlands and the majority of local residents,” he added.

Business from conferences, banquets and other events forms a major part of the club’s finances as it cannot rely on on-the-field activities to bring in the cash it needs.

So it does not miss out on such revenue, the club has decided that while the redevelopment takes place functions will be held in a large marquee erected inside the ground.

This will remain in place until the new facilities are ready and will host major hospitality events both during the summer and beyond.