Industry News

Surrey unveils Oval expansion plan

English county cricket club Surrey has revealed plans to expand its home ground, the Kia Oval, through new development that will take the international venue to a capacity of 28,000 seats.

The London stadium is one of English cricket’s most historic venues and is a regular destination for national team games and major events held in the country.

Surrey yesterday (Wednesday) said it has applied for planning permission for the redevelopment of the Lock/Laker Stand in a move that will add 2,500 seats to the ground. The development will see the existing Peter May Stand extended around to link to the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion with two tiers, including further roof terracing, added above.

There will also be an extension to the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion, by adding an extra wing to the original building, built in the 1890s, which will make it fully symmetrical when viewed from the Vauxhall End of the ground and add new rooms for members’ use on match days.

As well as the extra match day capacity, the new development will see a new facility constructed for the club’s conference and events business, allowing the ground to host larger events with scope for over 700 guests.

Surrey said the application was submitted after a lengthy consultation with the residential community around the Oval, as well as Lambeth Council. The architects for the scheme are Rolfe Judd, a practice headquartered close to the stadium which also designed the new Peter May Stand (pictured) that was opened in 2016.

Should planning permission be granted later this year, construction is planned to begin after the winter of 2019 and be completed, in two phases, by the start of the 2021 summer of cricket.

Surrey chief executive Richard Gould said: “Ever since announcing our plan to expand the Kia Oval in order to meet the increasing demand we are encountering for international and domestic cricket, we have been working towards this moment.

“As well as adding 2,500 extra seats to the ground, this development will provide vital new facilities to help the club continue to build on the recent growth that has been driven in our conference and event business.”

Image: Rolfe Judd