Redevelopment delays threaten Yorkshire’s international cricket status
An ongoing battle over funding between Leeds City Council and Headingley stadium’s sporting inhabitants is threatening the ground’s international Tes cricket status.
At the Yorkshire County Cricket Club AGM , an update was provided on the redevelopment, but no concrete plans were announced for funding which would cement the deal.
The club, along with rugby league side Leeds Rhinos, need £17m to go ahead with the development. An offer of £4m from the council was recently withdrawn over internal pressures, at a time when the local authority is being forced to make huge savings and cut thousands of jobs.
The clubs also withdrew two planning applications which would have helped fund the site with residential development plans for surrounding land.
Sources said that there was an ongoing effort to find a funding solution to redevelop the Main Stand at Headingley, in conjunction with Leeds Rhinos, as the stand backs onto both stadiums.
If the YCCC and the council are unable to find a funding solution to enable building work to start by September 2017, the stand will not be finished in time for the 2019 World Cup.
Those fixtures will subsequently be taken from Headingley and make it difficult for the Club to secure Test Match status for the year 2020-2024, when the next round of international fixtures are allocated.
Steve Denison, chairman of the YCCC, said: “Discussions are ongoing all the time formally and informally to try and find a solution because it is bonkers if the city, county and the club are running the risk of losing international status.
“There is no guarantee we would be able to host one of the new T20 teams as we haven’t got a stadium up to scratch. It does look quite gloomy but nobody is giving up. We are going to keep going but it is hard work.”
If the club, which is already saddles with £25m debts, loses its Test status, only Lancashire will be left to fly the flag for cricket in the North.
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “Leeds City Council recognises the importance of Headingley Carnegie Stadium maintaining full international sporting status and is in dialogue with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Rhinos to try and find a solution which will ensure that continues into the future.
“The financial package previously agreed by the council and Yorkshire CCC for the redevelopment of Headingley Stadium was dependent on two linked residential planning applications being given the go-ahead. These applications were subsequently withdrawn by the Leeds Rhinos and as such this funding agreement is no longer in place. It must be noted that even if this funding agreement had gone ahead, other significant investment would have needed to be found by the club and partners to fund the redevelopment in full.”
