The owners of Lord’s cricket ground have thrown out Almacantar’s plans to overhaul the London site to instead focus on a “stand-by-stand” development.
Marylebone Cricket Club yesterday said that it would now only develop on the club’s freehold land.
Mike Hussey’s Almacantar had been selected to bring forward the Vision for Lord’s project in February. It had proposed to buy 300,000 sq ft of the 16-acre site for residential development. The sale would have helped finance the upgrade of stands at the cricket ground.
However, MCC chairman Oliver Stocken said yesterday: “Since the process of looking at the long-term development began some years ago, the club has always prioritised the fundamental objective of maintaining and enhancing the reputation of Lord’s as the pre-eminent cricket ground in the world and the global home of cricket.
“The club also made it clear that the Vision for Lord’s project was subject to both the financial viability of the proposed development as a whole and reaching an agreement with the ECB on the number of major matches to be played at Lord’s in the coming years.”
He added: “MCC would like to thank Almacantar, the property developer with whom we have been working over the past few months, for its work in presenting possible development options to the club.
“Ultimately, the committee agreed on the way forward for the long-term redevelopment of Lord’s, probably beginning at the Pavilion End with the rebuilding and enhancement of the Tavern and Allen stands, which will provide significantly improved amenities.”
Hussey has reacted with disappointment at the news.
He said: “We produced an innovative scheme designed to open up Lord’s to a new generation of spectators. The dismantling of the perimeter wall along Wellington Road and opening up an entrance on St John’s Wood Road was aimed at stimulating wider interest in cricket at all levels. This feels like a sad day for cricket and a genuine missed opportunity.”
Almacantar said that it had repeatedly asked for its exclusively agreement with MCC to be finalised.
samantha.mcclary@estatesgazette.com
