February 28, 2008	Thursday	Safar 20 ,1429

LONDON, Feb 27: Lord’s, cricket’s most famous ground, is set for a 200 million pounds (US$398.5 million) redevelopment, owners the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) announced on Wednesday.

Over the next 10 years, five of the northwest London’s ground’s stands will be redeveloped, though not the 120-year old pavilion, which is a listed building.

Other plans include the building of a hotel, private apartments, a new academy and the installation of floodlights and all come after a series of consultations with the club’s 22,000 full and associate members.

“Nearly half of MCC’s membership responded and there was overwhelming backing to support the improvement of Lord’s for future generations of cricketers, cricket fans and of course members,” David Batts, MCC’s Masterplan project director said.

“To achieve this we are in the process of appointing a Masterplan architect who will be tasked with preparing a development plan which will provide an overall approach to the design and layout for the entire Lord’s site.

The MCC has made major improvements to the ground in the last 20 years, with the Compton and Edrich Stands both completely rebuilt in the 1990s and the landmark ‘spaceship’ media centre added in 1999.

At the end of the redevelopment, the ground’s capacity, currently 28,000, should exceed 38,000.

—Reuters