Lancashire County Cricket Club has been given permission to go ahead with a multi-million pound regeneration of its ground by the Court of Appeal – paving the way for the Manchester venue to be put into contention to stage an Ashes test in 2013.
The court was asked to block the plan by a local authority who said it was wrong to give Lancashire County Cricket Club permission to redevelop.
However three judges disagreed, adding that the reasons for their decision would be revealed at a later date.
Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes said the decision was one of the most significant events in the north-west club's 154-year history and that redevelopment was essential to preserving the ground's international status.
Cumbes added: ‘This is one of the biggest days in the club's history. If we don't redevelop then 150-odd years of history would have been in danger of disappearing’.
‘With redevelopment, I am confident that Old Trafford can continue as an international cricket ground’.
Old Trafford opened in 1857 and first staged test cricket in 1884.
Trafford Council leader Matt Colledge said: ‘This has been a long, drawn-out process and the council as decision maker has been vindicated at every stage. At last the cricket club can move forward with their redevelopment and the sports-led regeneration of this area can begin to take shape’.
Old Trafford was also the venue where England off-spinner Jim Laker took a record 19 out of a possible 20 Australian wickets in an Ashes Test in 1956.
Published: 05/07/2011
Source: http://www.sportindustry.biz/news/view/10052/old-trafford-gets-go-ahead-for-revamp
