A motion to block residential development at Lord’s cricket ground has been rejected by members of the Marylebone Cricket Club.
At its AGM yesterday, members voted and said it was not necessary to put a resolution not to permit any residential development on the club’s leasehold land.
It was also agreed that the committee would present an alternative 15-year masterplan for the redevelopment of the iconic grounds, which would be drawn up by the club’s ground working party and the architectural firm Populous, which specialises in sports grounds redevelopments.
The masterplan will replace plans drawn up by Mike Hussey’s Almacantar for a £400m residential development around Lord’s.
The proposals were dismissed in December, and lawyers for Almacantar have filed a letter before claim to the MCC in a bid to recover costs on the project, which are believed to be as much as £2m.
MCC chairman Oliver Stocken was re-appointed at the AGM, despite objections from some members who want an explanation as to why the plans were halted so abruptly. He claims MCC does not owe Almacantar any money.
Phillip Hodson, MCC president, said: “I have total confidence in the ground working party because it has already done a substantial amount of valuable work. It has a good and equal balance of talents – two from estates, two from finance and four from the executive, and has already done considerable work to look at the club’s options.”
