Edgbaston Cricket Ground

Warwickshire CCC and MCD Developments

Planning permission was secured for the redevelopment of Edgbaston Cricket Ground, including additional seating, conferencing, banqueting and exhibition facilities; improved player, spectator and media facilities; the installation of permanent floodlights, and the comprehensive mixed use redevelopment of surrounding land.

Location: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
Status: Outline planning permission granted and reserved matters approved
Size: New stand with 4,000 additional capacity, conference and banqueting facilities, five permanent floodlights, 13,990 sq m of commercial/offices (B1), 4,515 sq m of restaurants and bars (A3/A4), 1,100 sq m of retail (A1), a 150 bedroom hotel (C1) and 254 residential units (C3).
Scale: Site

The key issues were:

• Demonstrating a need for the redevelopment proposals in the context of standards set by the English Cricket Board
• Demonstrating the significant benefits that hosting international cricket in Birmingham has on the local economy
• Ensuring that the proposals would be of a high quality design that did not adversely affect the character of the area
• Dealing with local residents and the concerns they had about the impact of the proposal on their amenity
• Demonstrating that the quantum of retail, offices and other out of centre uses satisfied national and local planning policies
• Overcoming concerns about part of the development being within an area at risk of flooding
• Negotiating a section 106 package to secure a provision of affordable housing and improvements to local roads and parks
• The application was referred to the Secretary of State, but not called in

The decision was judicially reviewed by local residents but the court upheld permission. Reserved Matters were approved in early 2010 and construction is underway for the new stand to be open in time for the 2011 Test Series against India.