Floodlights to Stay on At Lord’s after Planning Permission Granted

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has been granted planning permission for its floodlights at Lord’s for another five-years from 2014 to 2019.

The club successfully applied to Westminster City Council for a renewal of the existing permission, which expires at the end of 2013, with the addition of two extra day uses from 2014.

The £2.7million retractable floodlights at Lord’s, which were installed for the 2009 World Twenty20, will therefore be able to be used during 14 days and 10 nights from next season.

This means every major match day at the ground – which comprises Tests, one-day internationals and the domestic List A final – can be floodlit in the event of bad light.

MCC head of cricket and estates John Stephenson said: “This is an excellent result for MCC, for our neighbours in St John’s Wood and for all the spectators and cricketers who will come to Lord’s over the next five years.

“The club made a major investment in these floodlights back in 2009 and they remain at the forefront of retractable floodlight technology, enabling as much cricket as possible to be played in poor light conditions whilst minimising the visual impact for our neighbours.

“It is crucial that the club, going forward, has the ability to use the floodlights if required during all its major match days because no one wants to see play lost to bad light.

“Thanks to constructive and co-operative relations with both the local residents and the council, we have an agreement which ensures Lord’s retains its place as the finest ground to watch and play cricket.”