MCC close to rejecting £150m plan for Lord’s

MCC members told to spurn developer’s pitch Club want to fund the ground’s major rebuild

The MCC last night took a big step towards rejecting a plan to build residential flats at Lord’s to fund the redevelopment of the ground.

The MCC’S committee recommended to members that the club proceed with their own master plan for Lord’s by funding major redevelopment works from their own resources rather than agreeing to the building of two 10-storey residential blocks at the Nursery End on land owned by Charles Rifkind, a property developer.

The committee came to its decision last night after a period of consultation with members, who will now vote on the plans in September.

“All members have been consulted. Many have spoken. The committee has decided. The club will now vote and we will then move on,” said Gerald Corbett, the MCC chairman.

“Today’s decision by the MCC Committee provides clarity on the extremely important and often controversial subject of ground development. Put simply, the club can afford to develop the ground using its own resources and it will do so in the coming years without the need for enabling residential development.”

The deal with the Rifkind Partnership would be worth £150million, with the club receiving £100million in cash and new facilities worth about £35million. But it would involve the construction of two luxury residential blocks at the Nursery End, an issue that has divided the MCC for nearly a decade.

The MCC surveyed members over the past six weeks, asking a set of questions. Supporters of the residential programme believe they were heavily weighted in favour of the committee’s preference of funding the works out of the club’s own resources.

They have criticised a document sent out to members outlining both plans last month and a letter was sent to the committee last week asking them to delay September’s vote over fears the club would not be awarded two Tests per year by the England and Wales Cricket Board, a central plank of the MCC’S plan to fund the works itself.

In a statement last night, the committee said it came to its decision after “very clear feedback” from its members and work would begin on the master plan after the 2019 Ashes with the rebuilding of the Compton and Edrich Stands.