Surrey County Cricket Club (Surrey CCC) has announced plans to expand the Kia Oval cricket stadium in south London.
The expansion would boost the capacity of the stadium from 25,500 to 40,000, making it the largest cricket stadium in the UK.
Work will include replacement for the Bedser Stand that could lead to an addition of up to 8,000 seats, as well as amplification of the current OCS Stand.
The club already secured planning consent for a development besides the Pavilion, 1 Oval Square. The project is expected to start at the end of 2019 and be wrapped up in time for the Ashes in 2023.
Surrey CCC Chairman Richard Thompson said: “The time is now right for cricket to think on a bigger scale. This summer we have seen unprecedented levels of demand for cricket at the Kia Oval, whether it be for the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, the 100th Test which takes place in July, or to watch Surrey CCC in the NatWest T20 Blast. We need to build on this success and have a ground that can satisfy the unprecedented demand we have created.”
“We have already received a positive response from early discussions with the ECB and our landlord, the Duchy of Cornwall. We will now work up more detailed proposals and financial models to share with our wider group of stakeholders,” Thompson added.
