Against the backdrop of one of the biggest cricket seasons England has ever seen, the Brit Oval has received the go ahead to build a new stand and hotel at the iconic ground, further cementing its place as one of the game’s great venues.

It has been a long wait for the decision: after the London Borough of Lambeth, supported by the Greater London Authority, resolved to grant planning permission in January 2008 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) asked for the plans to be “called in” and considered by the Secretary of State over concerns that the development was in too close a proximity to the nearby Kennington Gasholder Station. However, after a Public Inquiry in which the details of the development proposals were presented at length, the plans have been given approval to proceed.

A new stand will increase the capacity of the Brit Oval to 25,000, and the addition of a 168 bedroom 4* Arora International hotel will bring much needed business and jobs into the local area.

Paul Sheldon, Chief Executive of Surrey County Cricket Club, commented: “This decision has been a long time coming, and we are very pleased with the outcome. The development is an important one both for cricket and our community. The continued improvement of facilities at the Brit Oval means that international cricket is guaranteed a place here for many years to come, and the Arora International hotel will be a major contributor to some much needed regeneration for our local area. We are looking forward to sitting down and getting into the detail of bringing these plans to life.”

The £35 million plans are being generously funded by development partner Surinder Arora, Chairman of Arora International Hotels, who said: “This is great news! The approval of our plans means exciting times ahead for Arora International, the Brit Oval and Lambeth. We are proud to be a part of this development and the benefits that it will bring to Kennington, the surrounding area and the game of cricket.”