Glamorgan unveil £6m plans
Aug 12 2005
Sion Barry, Western Mail

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0300business/0100news/tm_objectid=15848489&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=glamorgan-unveil--6m-plans-name_page.html

http://www.iccchampionstrophy.com/link_to_database/PICTURES/DB/062001/026854.jpg

GLAMORGAN County Cricket Club has unveiled a £6m scheme to transform its Sophia Gardens home into a Test match standard arena.

The county has submitted a planning application for the next phase of re-development of its Cardiff ground, which would increase its current permanent seating capacity from 6,000 to in excess of 16,000 in an attractive oval-shaped venue.

And as part of the proposals, the county has also submitted plans to house a new temporary home for ice hockey side the Cardiff Devils with a 2,500 seater indoor arena at the northern end of Sophia Gardens.

The county has already raised half the required funding for the project and, subject to approval from Cardiff County Council, work on the scheme could start this autumn.

A new indoor arena for the Devils is needed as its current home in the centre of Cardiff is being demolished to make way for the £556m St David's 2 retail, leisure and residential project.

It is envisaged that the Devils would use the in-door facility at Sophia Gardens for three years, before moving to a permanent ice rink at the Sports Village development in Cardiff Bay.

The council would part finance the building of the Devils' temporary home. Negotiations are continuing between the county and the council as to the ownership status of the indoor facility after it is vacated by the Devils - when it is proposed it would be marketed as a multi-purpose facility.

The planning application submitted by Glamorgan also includes plans for a new modern pavilion, which would be situated on the same side of the ground as the ice rink.

This would allow for the existing and ageing pavilion at the opposite side of the ground to be demolished. The pavilion and its adjoining seating areas would be replaced with a new grandstand.

The re-development plan also includes details for new stands at the Cathedral Road and River Taff ends of the ground - as well as a new media centre in keeping with the latest requirements for coverage of Test match cricket.

Chief executive of the Glamorgan County Cricket Club, Mike Fatkin, said the scheme underpinned the county's ambitions to become a regular venue for Test match cricket for England matches - particularly in the one- day arena.

The latest re-development plans follow a near £300,000 investment made by the county this year in new flood-lighting to stage night games.

Long-term, the new-look ground could be a venue for five- day England Test matches.

This season England played a Test match [against Bangladesh] at the Riverside home of county side Durham - the first time they had played at a relatively new ground for around a century.

Mr Fatkin said, "To get up to the required capacity for hosting internationals, we currently have to bring in more than 7,000 temporary seats, which is extremely expensive at a cost of around £140,000 a day.

"We want to bring more international cricket to Sophia Gardens and the increase in permanent capacity outlined in our planning application would allow us to achieve this.

"Providing we get planning consent this autumn, the aim is to have all the first phase work completed by next August - in time for the one-day international between England and Pakistan at Sophia Gardens at the end of that month."

Architects on the project are the Cardiff firm of HLN. Director Neil MacOmish said, "The plans will see the creation of a complete oval-shaped arena.

"By next summer it is planned to have a capacity of 13,500 permanent seats, with corporate hospitality boxes in the pavilion.

"For Test match cricket a capacity of 15,000 is required, so temporary seating for 1,500 would be brought in for the England v Pakistan game next summer.

"However, by 2008 it is planned to have a second tier of seating at parts of the ground, which would increase permanent seat capacity to more than 16,000."

Durham's Riverside Ground was recently awarded Test Match Status.

http://www.cricketump.com/images/England_Sri%20Lanka...0704/Lumley%20Castle%20at%20The%20Riverside.JPG

Hampshire's Rose Bowl looks likely to become a part of the Test Cricket Circuit.

The Rose Bowl is now increasing capacity to over 20,000
http://www.communigate.co.uk/hants/hpcc/phpPUzwta

Somerset CCC also have big plans for their Taunton Ground and also have Test Match Ambitions.

A link to Somersets Taunton Ground plans

http://www.tauntondeane.gov.uk/Forms/LocalPlan/04bTauntonUDF.pdf

http://www.act365.co.uk/cricket/images/Taunton.jpg

At the same time Lancashire are considering there options and whether to redevelop Old Trafford or move from Old Trafford to either a new ground beside Manchester City or to Wigan. The LCCC Vote at the end of the Summer.

http://content.cricinfo.com/engvaus/content/story/212615.html

Headingley is hoping to keep it's Test Match Staus after a £10 million redevelopment, whilst a major new stand has just been completed at the Oval.

The New Oval Stand :)
http://www.constructionmall.co.uk/press/images/668691678.jpg

Finally a 60,000 Seat Cricket and Football Stadium in Birmingham is a real possibility, and although plans are still at an early stage, it would create the largest Test Ground in the Country since the closure of Bramhall Lane in 1973.

Bramhall Lane Test Ground in Sheffield Yorkshire had a capacity of 50,000, but the land was taken over by the nearby football club and Yorkshire Tests were held at Headingley from 1973 onwards.

Birmingham News on 60,000 Seater Cricket/Football Stadium

http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/page.cfm?objectid=14185150&method=full&siteid=50002

An Artists Impression of the New Cricket/Football Stadium
http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/icbirmingham/apr2004/7/8/00022208-055F-108E-9C0E80C328ECFE9F.jpg

Day Release I love you, thank you for posting this, I wasn't aware of it until I read the thread.

I'm a huge Glamorgan fan and this is superb news.

The ground has gradually been improving over the last four years with the new academy (which is behind the stand with the sails in the picture) and a couple of new stands, but the pavilian is like a big Caravan and needs building with something special.

I'm soooo happy about this.


re the other Cricket grounds, Headingely is a complete dump, I love the new stand at the Oval and the Rose Bowl is awesome.

On a seperate note, I would like Wales to break away from the ECB and go it alone and go down the road of international Cricket as Scotland and Ireland are doing.

Day Release I love you, thank you for posting this, I wasn't aware of it until I read the thread.

I'm a huge Glamorgan fan and this is superb news.

The ground has gradually been improving over the last four years with the new academy (which is behind the stand with the sails in the picture) and a couple of new stands, but the pavilian is like a big Caravan and needs building with something special.

I'm soooo happy about this.


re the other Cricket grounds, Headingely is a complete dump, I love the new stand at the Oval and the Rose Bowl is awesome.

I love you too Zim :lol:

I agree it's about time we had some fresh stadiums and a new cricket philosophy to match the increasing popularity of the game.

I hope we can look forward to seeing future tests from Sophia Gardens :)

Btw Zim, as far as Cricket Grounds go, they don't get much better looking than this one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1490000/images/_1493313_notts300.jpg

http://www.beigebrigade.co.nz/albums/album23/Otherstand.jpg

And I am sure Trent Bridge will look even better after we stuff the Ozzies there :lol:

oops forgot about Trent Bridge,

yes it's a stunning ground, I love the main stand in the picture (with the turrets). I believe they have still got to redevelop the pavilian, but already it is something special.

oops forgot about Trent Bridge

You can't forget about Trent Bridge, the fourth test starts there on Thursday.

Although the most beautiful ground is of course Lords, the Home of Cricket.

http://bama.ua.edu/~cricket/Lords.jpg

Btw Zim, I also thought that Headingley and Old Trafford were looking a bit worn and old, although Headingley is much better following it's redevelopment and I look forward to Lancashires decision as to whether to completley rebuild most of Old Trafford or to move to a new ground.

Headingley (One of the New Stands)
http://www.atommedia.co.uk/leedsrugby/headingleysales/news/news-images%5Cnewspic3497.jpg

Old Trafford is a more Attractive Ground that Headingley, but it still either needs a major redevelopment or total replacement.
http://www.lccc.co.uk/zimages/lodge/lodge03a.jpg

IMO the best test grounds in the past were Lords, Edgbaston and Trent Bridge, but the new grounds at Durham, Hampshire and the redevelopments at the Oval, Headingley and the Lancashire plans, as well as the Sophia Gardens Redvelopment and the Taunton Plans mean that British cricket has some great grounds in the world and best prospects this country has ever seen.

Exciting times indeed. :)

Edgbaston
http://www.pavien.net/clubs/img/warwickshire.jpg

http://www.birminghamheritage.org.uk/images/cricket.gif

Somerset CCC also have big plans for their Taunton Ground and also have Test Match Ambitions.

I can't see Taunton ever getting Test status - and I say that as a Somerset supporter whose grandfather played for the county. The playing area is way too small (though that makes watching Twenty20 games great fun, especially when Ian Blackwell's at the crease :)), there isn't room to build stands with the required capacity (I think it's currently 15,000, but with all the counties vying to get on the Test scene that will rise quickly), and Taunton itself isn't exactly nodal compared to Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds et al, and doesn't have the infrastructure to handle the number of spectators that watch a Test match...

I don't know that much about the Taunton bid for Test Match status, although there are plans for major redevelopment.

The plans include increasing the playing area and moving the ground away from the river, the plans are on a massive scale, and I doubt it would be even recognisable in terns of current facilities.

Here's the plans I found on the web.

http://www.tauntondeane.gov.uk/Forms/LocalPlan/04bTauntonUDF.pdf

I don't know that much about the Taunton bid for Test Match status, although there are plans for major redevelopment.


OK, I was just reacting to your comment that SCCC "...also have Test Match Ambitions" :). If the development goes ahead it'll have a better case for hosting ODIs than Canterbury and Bristol, but Tests are a different pot of kettlefish altogether...

We have more than enough test venues if Tauntons Grand Plans (which are good enough to see it host 5 day internationals) don't come to fuition.

The Riverside, Rose Bowl and Sophia Gardens will offer superb venues for future international test cricket.

The Riverside, Chester Le Street Co Durham
http://www.worldwidecricket.com/Images/Riverside_clip_image002.jpg

http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/the_north_east/sport/cricket/durham/images/riverside1.jpg

Interesting thread nice to see many grounds are being redeveloped i hope Birmingham gets a 60.000 stadium that would be great for English cricket.

St lawrence ground kent 15.000(Tree has since been replaced with a new one)
http://www.pavien.net/clubs/img/kent.jpg
The county ground Bristol 8000 with capacity boosted with tempory seating to 15.000 for one day games.If the weather is hot sometimes i come here to relax.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/cityviews/countyground/image5.jpg

There are quite a few Grounds which host one day Internationals including Canterbury, Bristol and Leicester. However they are usually not of full Test Standard, however the new stadiums such as the Riverside and Rose Bowl more than meet the criteria to host 5 day Test Cricket.

http://www.icc-cricket.com/odi/eng.html

England One-Day International Grounds

Old Trafford, Manchester
Lord's, London
Edgbaston, Birmingham
St Helen's, Swansea
Headingley, Leeds
The Brit Oval, London
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough
Grace Road, Leicester
County Ground, Taunton
The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground, Bristol
County Ground, New Road, Worcester
County Ground, Southampton
Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells
County Ground, Derby
County Ground, Chelmsford
County Ground, Hove
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
County Ground, Northampton
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
The Rose Bowl, Southampton


County Ground, New Road, Worcester
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/1538/sgb/70cdfe61.jpg

http://www.pavien.net/clubs/img/worcestershire.jpg

The Rose Bowl Hampshire (Increasing Capacity to Over 20,000)
http://www.chooseyourevent.co.uk/images/company/Hampshire%2002(4).jpg

There are quite a few Grounds which host one day Internationals including Canterbury, Bristol and Leicester. However they are usually not of full Test Standard, however the new stadiums such as the Riverside and Rose Bowl more than meet the criteria to host 5 day Test Cricket.

England One-Day International Grounds

Old Trafford, Manchester
Lord's, London
Edgbaston, Birmingham
St Helen's, Swansea
Headingley, Leeds
The Brit Oval, London
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough
Grace Road, Leicester
County Ground, Taunton
The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground, Bristol
County Ground, New Road, Worcester
County Ground, Southampton
Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells
County Ground, Derby
County Ground, Chelmsford
County Ground, Hove
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
County Ground, Northampton
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
The Rose Bowl, Southampton


Yes, but that's a bit misleading - most of those grounds have only hosted one or two ODIs during past World Cups, and don't feature as "regular" venues. The reason I mentioned Bristol and Canterbury is that they are considered good enough to be included in the NatWest Series every year (along with Cardiff and Durham).

It's a bit like saying Cross Green, Otley is a Test ground in rugby, which it technically is as it hosted Italy v USA in the 1991 World Cup... :)

It's the ICC List not mine.

http://www.icc-cricket.com/odi/eng.html

Yes, but that's a bit misleading - most of those grounds have only hosted one or two ODIs during past World Cups, and don't feature as "regular" venues. The reason I mentioned Bristol and Canterbury is that they are considered good enough to be included in the NatWest Series every year (along with Cardiff and Durham).

It's a bit like saying Cross Green, Otley is a Test ground in rugby, which it technically is as it hosted Italy v USA in the 1991 World Cup...
__________________

Durhams Riverside and the Rose Bowl have only hosted a few ODI's, whilst a lot of thE other grounds on the list are big county grounds including Leicesters Ground at Grace Road (12,000), Derbyshires County Ground (10,000) Yorkshires second ground at Scarborough (12,000) and you have already mentioned others including Durham, Cardiff, Hampshire, Gloucester (Bristol) and Canterbury (Kent), as well as the six five day test grounds.

North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough (12,000)
http://www.kenwaysguesthouse.co.uk/scarborough-holiday-photos/images/30.jpg

All in all nearly every ground on that list deserves to be there and is capable of hosting ODI's. :)

These grounds aren't that small and most of the grounds on that list are the main county grounds for the major Cricketing Counties and not some Village Green Cricket Ground.

All in all nearly every ground on that list deserves to be there and is capable of hosting ODI's. :)

These grounds aren't that small and most of the grounds on that list are the main county grounds for the major Cricketing Counties and not some Village Green Cricket Ground.

Here's your list again, sorted by current capacity:

Lord's, London - 30,000
The Brit Oval, London - 23,500
Edgbaston, Birmingham - 21,000
Old Trafford, Manchester - 19,000
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street - 17,000 (for internationals)
Trent Bridge, Nottingham - 15,350
The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground, Bristol - 15,000 (for ODIs)
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury - 15,000
Headingley, Leeds - 14,000
Grace Road, Leicester - 12,000
North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough - 11,500
County Ground, Derby - 9,500
County Ground, Northampton - 6,500
The Rose Bowl, Southampton - 6,500
County Ground, Taunton - 6,500
County Ground, Chelmsford - 6,000
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff - 5,500
St Helen's, Swansea - 4,500
Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells - 4,500
County Ground, New Road, Worcester - 4,500
County Ground, Hove - 4,000
County Ground, Southampton - defunct

You're right that Grace Road is a decent-sized ground, as are Scarborough (which suffers from being the second-largest in it county) and Derby (which is, to put it frankly, a dump), but the rest are hardly going to see bumper crowds unless they bring in plenty of temporary seating (which Cardiff must do - all capacities came from cricinfo.com)....

Lord's, London - 30,000
The Brit Oval, London - 23,500
Edgbaston, Birmingham - 21,000
Old Trafford, Manchester - 19,000
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street - 17,000 (for internationals)
Trent Bridge, Nottingham - 15,350
The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground, Bristol - 15,000 (for ODIs)
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury - 15,000
Headingley, Leeds - 14,000
Grace Road, Leicester - 12,000
North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough - 11,500
County Ground, Derby - 9,500
County Ground, Northampton - 6,500
The Rose Bowl, Southampton - 6,500
County Ground, Taunton - 6,500
County Ground, Chelmsford - 6,000
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff - 5,500
St Helen's, Swansea - 4,500
Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells - 4,500
County Ground, New Road, Worcester - 4,500
County Ground, Hove - 4,000
County Ground, Southampton - defunct

Most of the ground capacity figures you have quoted show a similar capacity to the Rose Bowl at 6,500, the Riverside 5,000 (except for temporary stands during internationals) and Sophia Gardens (currently 5,500) according to these figures, with only Swansea and a few other grounds holding slightly less.

So if the Riverside and Rose bowl can transform themselves for internationals, these grounds are also big enough to host ODI's.

Is it possible to expand Lord´s ?

I cant see why not. there is plenty of space at the nursery end, and I dont think there are specific height restrictions or anything else in the area but I dont know??

A development at the nursery end would not only increase capacity but all the extra seats would have excellent views behind the bowler´s arm. I cant see why 40,000 should not be possible.

Far more radically, it could even be more if drop-in pitches lead to a smaller square being required ,which should then mean a smaller outfield needed, making it possible to lower the field and move it towards the nursery end.

Expensive, far-fetched and might well impact sightlines, but its possible to move near 50,000.
Residents probably wouldnt be happy.

But is there any fundamental problem with this if the MCC accepted their small nursery ground disappearing?

Sophia Gardens redevelopment 16,000-17,500
http://www.hititforsix.net/hit46.nsf/dx/GCCC-3_2.jpg/$file/GCCC-3_2.jpg
http://www.hititforsix.net/hit46.nsf/dx/GCCC-3_1.jpg/$file/GCCC-3_1.jpg
http://www.hititforsix.net/hit46.nsf/dx/GCCC-3_3.jpg/$file/GCCC-3_3.jpg

excellent renders, clarky.

Does anyone know if this is likely to happen?

^^They want to host a cricket world cup match in 2019 posibly 2015 hopefully this will start mutch sooner.

This will be starting soon extra 7500 seats for Headingley making the stadium 20.000(no renders)
http://www.wyg.com/5projects/leisure/06.htm

^^They want to host a cricket world cup match in 2019 posibly 2015 hopefully this will start mutch sooner.

This will be starting soon extra 7500 seats for Headingley making the stadium 20.000(no renders)
http://www.wyg.com/5projects/leisure/06.htm

I'm not sure where you've got that idea from! The document you've added a link to describes "Reconstruction of the single tier western terrace to provide 7500 new seats" - this was completed around 1999/2000 (from memory), and there wasn't a net increase of 7,500, since the "new seats" simply replaced the old ones...

I'm not sure where you've got that idea from! The document you've added a link to describes "Reconstruction of the single tier western terrace to provide 7500 new seats" - this was completed around 1999/2000 (from memory), and there wasn't a net increase of 7,500, since the "new seats" simply replaced the old ones...


Headingley is such a dump, they spent millions on it and they ended up with a ground that looks the same but with blue seats instead of white.

Headingley is such a dump, they spent millions on it and they ended up with a ground that looks the same but with blue seats instead of white.

I agree, even though it's my local Test ground, I still think it's the worst of the seven now in use...

The shared stand between the cricket and football pitches is apparently going to be developed at the end of 2008, to take advantage of the Super League season finishing early due to the Rugby League World Cup. That means the tatty old Winter Shed Stand at the other end might be developed first, either this year or next, but I haven't heard any news...

Cardiff to host Ashes Test match

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4921718.stm

Bloody Nora!

I agree, even though it's my local Test ground, I still think it's the worst of the seven now in use...

The shared stand between the cricket and football pitches is apparently going to be developed at the end of 2008, to take advantage of the Super League season finishing early due to the Rugby League World Cup. That means the tatty old Winter Shed Stand at the other end might be developed first, either this year or next, but I haven't heard any news...

Some people say it's because of it's location, but I disagree. The oval is in a shit hole but is one of the nicest grounds in the world with some superb stands. So it can be done.

Just made a little table showing the recent allocation of Test matches - hope it comes out OK:

Ground_________2004_2005_2006_2007_2008_2009

Lord's___________2____2____2____2____2____2
Brit_Oval________1____1____1____1____1____1
Old_Trafford_____1____1____1____1____1____*
Edgbaston________1____1____1____0____1____1
Trent_Bridge_____1____1____1____1____1____*
Headingley_______1____0____1____1____1____1
Chester-Le-Str___0____1____0____1____0____*
Sophia_Gardens___0____0____0____0____0____1

* 2nd Test v Zimbabwe to be confirmed

Hmm, that's about the best I can manage in a couple of minutes...

Just made a little table showing the recent allocation of Test matches - hope it comes out OK:

Ground_________2004_2005_2006_2007_2008_2009

Lord's___________2____2____2____2____2____2
Brit_Oval________1____1____1____1____1____1
Old_Trafford_____1____1____1____1____1____*
Edgbaston________1____1____1____0____1____1
Trent_Bridge_____1____1____1____1____1____*
Headingley_______1____0____1____1____1____1
Chester-Le-Str___0____1____0____1____0____*
Sophia_Gardens___0____0____0____0____0____1

* 2nd Test v Zimbabwe to be confirmed

I can confirm there will be no Zimbabwe tests.

Even the under 19 team has gone on strike. They have a team currently of sixteen year olds that would struggle to get in a club side and will be hammered by the Irish or Scots cricket team.

Zimbabwe should not be allowed to play any matches.

Be that as it may, the EBC has announced that in 2009, the 1st Test v Zim will be at Lord's, and the venue for the 2nd Test v Zim is TBC, hence the *s. I would be surprised if Chester-le-Street got it and both Trent Bridge and Old Trafford missed out.

PS Who's this 'Julius Ceaser' in your signature, Zim? :)

Cardiff to host 2009 Ashes Test
(Filed: 20/04/2006)

Cardiff will host an Ashes Test in 2009 after an England and Wales Cricket Board review decided against using Old Trafford.

Subject to its redevelopment, Sophia Gardens will be one of the five venues for the next home series against Australia, along with the Oval, Edgbaston, Headingley and Lord's.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/graphics/2006/04/21/ucashe20reu.jpg
Good omens: Sophia Gardens hosted Bangladesh's win over Australia last summer

Glamorgan chairman Paul Russell said: "This is an historic day for cricket in Wales.

"Glamorgan County Cricket Club has created a robust business plan and a vision which makes Glamorgan a leading force in cricket throughout England and Wales."

Trent Bridge was always due to miss out on the rota for Test grounds, but the news has come as a major disappointment at Old Trafford, which first staged a Test in 1884, and to others like Durham, who play at Chester-le-Street, and Hampshire, whose Rose Bowl also remains off the 'A' list.

Old Trafford and Chester-le-Street will instead host the West Indies in 2007. Old Trafford also gets a Test against New Zealand the following year.

The Rose Bowl, which has been built and developed with millionaire chairman Rod Bransgrove's fortune, is again likely to be restricted to one-day internationals and Twenty20 internationals, which will be determined at a further meeting next month.

Bransgrove, bitterly disappointed, said he may have to reconsider his position at Hampshire.

He said: "I am trying to get over the shock. But it will take a long time for the disappointment, and perhaps some of the anger, to go.

"I have to consider whether this has become personal and if it is beneficial for Hampshire cricket to have me around. We have to discuss all these things."

Cardiff's plans for redevelopment clearly swayed the ECB's Major Match Group, who conducted the review.

The Oval and Trent Bridge have been redeveloped in recent years while Headingley is undergoing a £20 million facelift to ensure their future participation on the international circuit.

Durham and Hampshire have also spent money on their new grounds, while Lancashire are considering schemes to either redevelop their present facilities or move to a new site in Wigan.

Domestic Test programme 2007-9

2007

Test matches v West Indies: Chester-le-Street, Headingley, Lord's, Old Trafford.
Test matches v India: The Oval, Lord's, Trent Bridge

2008

Test matches v New Zealand: Lord's, Old Trafford, Trent Bridge
Test matches v South Africa: The Oval, Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord's

2009

Test matches v Zimbabwe: Lord's and another to be determined
Test matches v Australia: The Oval, Cardiff, Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord's


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

What are people's opinions on this? I've done a bit of background reading, and the plans to redevelop Sophia Gardens are not universally popular ones...! The current ground is bang next to Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed parklands, so GCCC have their work cut out increasing capacity to a decent level without affecting the surroundings, and there are big questions over the area's ability to handle larger crowds. I'm actually with the NIMBYs on this one - in my view Glamorgan would be better off doing a Hampshire and relocating to a better site...

What are people's opinions on this? I've done a bit of background reading, and the plans to redevelop Sophia Gardens are not universally popular ones...! The current ground is bang next to Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed parklands, so GCCC have their work cut out increasing capacity to a decent level without affecting the surroundings, and there are big questions over the area's ability to handle larger crowds. I'm actually with the NIMBYs on this one - in my view Glamorgan would be better off doing a Hampshire and relocating to a better site...


It's going to happen, the Welsh Assembly and the Local Council support the redevelopment. Planning permission is a given.

Let's get building boys :yes:

What are people's opinions on this? I've done a bit of background reading, and the plans to redevelop Sophia Gardens are not universally popular ones...! The current ground is bang next to Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed parklands, so GCCC have their work cut out increasing capacity to a decent level without affecting the surroundings, and there are big questions over the area's ability to handle larger crowds. I'm actually with the NIMBYs on this one - in my view Glamorgan would be better off doing a Hampshire and relocating to a better site...

i'm all for sophia gardens to have test match status.....but it's the way they've been given it.....

hampshire & durham have spent millions...both started with ODI's,durham got a test match against minnows bangladesh.....slowly building up...and along come sophia gardens and gets a ashes test stright of the bat :eek2:


and hopefully the ECB's choice of ground will knock some heads together @ lancashire cc......they've faffed about for nearly 2 years on what to do with old trafford..this might make then get a move on..

LCCC need to pull their finger out and decide soon, whether Old Trafford gets the revamp thats been put off far too long or whether they do something else. Better to redevelop Old Trafford and share county and one day matches with Blackpool and Liverpool than try to please everyone with a half-arsed concept ground somewhere near Wigan. Sports City is already well developed with other sports, such as althletics, who need greater slice of the North-West sporting cake. (Hmmm cake....).

Now that the ECB have decided that the Ashes Test will go to Cardiff, I wonder what other tests Old Trafford and Headingley will lose?

I saw a bit of the under 19 eng verses india match on the tele yesterday and I noticed they have started to demolish some of the stands around the pavilian.

Construction is due to start in the autumn of this year. :banana:

A Bad Move if you ask me - they should have done a Hampshire and built a new ground in the Cardiff Docks area rather than trying to cram new seating into a tiny area on the edge of a fine park...

^^Agreed, We need new cricket stadiums in this country, the new stand at The Oval looks amazing but then you turn around and see the rest! Trent Bridge again is similar to this even having 3 great new stands, then being let down by rest of the stadium and the other big test venues apart from Lords are in poor condition.

This will be a new stadium, nearly all of it will be demolished apart from the blue seats at one end and the acadamy building at the corner of the other.

These renders are pretty crappy as some of the stands will have sails on the top of them ala the new pavilian at Southampton and should look impressive.

I'm not talking about the design or aesthetics, and I'm not advocating new grounds over redevelopment in every county's case (Trent Bridge has come on a treat in the last ten years). What I'm saying is that the current site is so limited and in such a sensitive location that it would be far less problematic to start afresh somewhere else.

I'm not talking about the design or aesthetics, and I'm not advocating new grounds over redevelopment in every county's case (Trent Bridge has come on a treat in the last ten years). What I'm saying is that the current site is so limited and in such a sensitive location that it would be far less problematic to start afresh somewhere else.

The big advantage for Glamorgan though is that they already own the land and with Welsh Assembly funding they are quids in.

Did anybody see the feature on the redevelopment during the interval at the One-Day International today? Some very good points were raised, I thought.