MCC consults on masterplan for the future of Lord's

Date released: 25 September 2007

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is about to conduct the biggest survey in its 220-year history.

Detailed questionnaires will be posted today to its 22,000 Full and Associate Members to help establish their views on a range of possible improvements at 'The Home of Cricket'.

The results will then play a key role in enabling the Club to develop a strategic masterplan for Lord's.

As well as conducting this survey, MCC is convening a series of six special meetings to enable its Members to put questions and comments to a panel consisting of Keith Bradshaw (MCC's Secretary & Chief Executive), Tony Lewis (MCC's Chairman of Cricket) and David Batts (MCC's Masterplan Project Director, with effect from 1st October).

These meetings will take place between 8th and 18th October, at venues from Bristol to Leeds.

In due course, some additional meetings will be arranged, at Lord's, for non-MCC Members so that this consultative process can involve as many different stakeholders as possible.

The scale of these consultative measures reflects the importance that MCC attaches to developing the best possible plans for the long-term future of Lord's.

MCC's Committee is keen for the masterplan to set the strategic framework for the ground's next 100 years.

Potential improvements

As a result of work undertaken over recent months by MCC's Masterplan Working Party, chaired by Sir Michael Jenkins (an MCC Trustee), the questionnaire sets out several potential ground improvements and invites Members to comment on their importance.

The different improvements include:

• the creation of a purpose-built museum (to house MCC's outstanding collection of cricket art and artefacts);

• the development of an Indoor School & Cricket Academy with an analysis suite, gymnasium, sports injury clinic and treatment rooms;

• the construction of an additional new real tennis court (to enable Lord's to host top-class international real tennis competitions);

• the installation of permanent but retractable floodlights; and

• an increase in the ground's capacity, to between 35,000 and 40,000.

The Masterplan Working Party is also suggesting that there should be no reduction in the size of the two playing areas at Lord's - the main ground and the Nursery Ground.

Moreover, it envisages that the ground's picnic gardens, which are hugely popular on major matchdays, and contribute to the unique atmosphere at Lord's, should be retained (and, if possible, enlarged).

Looking much further ahead, Sir Michael and his colleagues have emphasised the importance of the Club appointing architects who can demonstrate a real appreciation of the heritage of Lord's, a proper understanding of its worldwide reputation as 'The Home of Cricket', and full recognition of the need to work within the Westminster and London planning frameworks.

As far as financial issues are concerned, the Club expects future improvements to be funded by a combination of debenture seat income, a sensible level of borrowing and some residential development on the ground's edges (subject, of course, to planning consent) - for the first time since the construction of Century Court in the 1960s.

MCC Members' key role

MCC Deputy Chief Executive, David Batts Commenting on the questionnaire, David Batts, currently MCC's Deputy Chief Executive, said: "This is the biggest-ever consultation process in MCC's long and distinguished history.

"Its scale reflects the importance that we attach to developing the best possible masterplan for the long-term future of Lord's.

"MCC's Members need to play a key part in that process; after all, it's their club and their ground. Everyone at Lord's is looking forward to receiving the results from their questionnaires.

"We need to know our Members' priorities and preferences before we can develop the right masterplan for the future.

"We also want as many Members as possible to put forward their questions, comments and ideas when we hold the consultative meetings around the country.

"Once we've heard from our own Members, we want to listen to our other stakeholders as well.

"It's important that we consult as widely as possible to ensure that the future of Lord's can be just as distinguished as its past."

An update on MCC's thinking is being sent, also today, to the Club's nearest neighbours.

Since its bicentenary, in 1987, MCC has already spent over £50 million on improving Lord's.