Following our previous communication back in November and the informal meeting of Members at the end of that month we are pleased to advise Members that the redevelopment proposals for Headingley have been progressing throughout the season culminating in the submission of an application on 31 July to Sport England (formerly the Sports Council) for Lottery Funding. We have now received formal acknowledgement that a case officer has been appointed for our scheme. The project is estimated at �9.2 million for the development of:

a) West Stand (formerly Western Terrace) including the North Enclosure section to the Winter Shed
b) Bowling Green Stand
c) Rugby/Cricket Stand
d) Associated works including car parks, entrances and Cricket School upgrade

The funding sources apart from the Lottery will include contributions from the County Club and Leeds CF&A; plus Leeds City Council, who have already pledged financial support, to ensure the retention of Test Match cricket at Headingley. The County will, in future, receive a contribution from the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the staging of Test Matches and One Day Internationals and these funds will be channelled into the redevelopment. This very welcome new source of funding has been negotiated by the Test Match Grounds Consortium with ECB over recent months and is to be ring fenced for ground improvements and development at each of the Test Match and One Day International Venues.

News of Sport England�s decision on our lottery application will not be forthcoming until the New Year and the project is still very dependent on the level of overall funding. Looking to the future, a new lease will be negotiated and a Memorandum of Understanding has already been agreed with LCFA to enable the Club to have full control of the cricket side of the complex. The aim is for building to commence at the conclusion of next season�s fixtures at Headingley in middle to late August.

Members will share our disappointment at not being allocated a 'one dayer' for next season especially with an extended one day programme in the form of a triangular tournament. The inclusion of Durham, Bristol and Canterbury to the international scene sends a clear message to Headingley in terms of the requirement for vastly improved facilities for Members and spectators alike. Our plans to improve the ground clearly addresses this issue. Test Match pitches have also come under scrutiny of late and we have therefore taken the opportunity of relaying two pitches as part of an overall policy over the next few years.

Plans are also being advanced in respect of floodlighting for cricket at Headingley. The day/night matches staged over the last two seasons have been well attended and very successful. However, the cost of temporary lights precludes more than one such occasion each season. If more powerful permanent lighting can be installed then the Club will be in a position to stage additional National League day/night matches and one day internationals.

For the benefit of Members we are pleased to outline details of the scheme as follows

The redevelopment of the Western Terrace will stretch to the Winter Shed and will provide quality seating for around 7,500. There will be increased legroom and seats will be wider. Suitable toilet and refreshment facilities will be incorporated below along with a new access route and perimeter fence behind the stand. The grassed outfield will be extended by twenty feet to eliminate the track and seating will start from the boundary boards. Access to the seating will be from the rear via appropriate vomitories. The extended boundary will enable the County to use two additional pitches for First Class matches - there is a minimum boundary distance of 50 yards for such matches.

The training ground bordering the railway line will be sectioned to provide dedicated net areas (probably 14 grass nets) in order that players have the use of such facilities during the course of matches and this is now a requirement laid down under the ECB minimum standards guidelines. Such nets will also enable players to practice more regularly in pursuit of excellence with our younger development squads benefiting particularly from this development.

The Bowling Green Stand improvements will, of course, be of particular interest. Again, the track will be eliminated by the inclusion of seating to the boundary edge. At the rear of the terracing and giving a clear view of the playing area there will be a Members long room including bar, dining and refreshment area which will be particularly popular during wet and cold weather. The stand will be constructed in such a way as to facilitate additional buildings above at a later stage when further funds become available. Underneath the terracing and long room will be community facilities as required for Sport England funding. Most important of these will be classrooms for young children to enable the Club to develop �Cricket in the Classroom�, which is a scheme for primary schools where they spend a day at Headingley studying subjects all related to cricket. They will also enjoy a Kwik Cricket session including simple eye/ball co-ordination skills. It is important for us to stimulate the interest in this age group as they will be our spectators and parents of the future as well as young players. Additional indoor nets will also be incorporated along with changing rooms, fitness and physiotherapy rooms and public toilets and a first aid post. A large dining area will be incorporated for use on busy days.

Improvements to the Rugby/Cricket Stand which will be funded jointly by YCCC and LCF&A; will be based upon commercial considerations. The roof will be raised to accommodate 23 new hospitality boxes above the existing balcony seating which will effectively be unchanged. The new boxes will face both cricket and rugby and will therefore be shared.

The Sharman gates will be re-sited and the St Michael�s Lane frontage restructured to provide parking and new entrances including a bus turning circle. In addition, Leeds City Council has required a number of other improvements in St Michael�s Lane which include �sleeping policemen� and traffic lights at the junction with Cardigan Road. Revisions will made to the local bus service to and from the City centre as well as improved park and ride arrangements and hopefully, improved rail services.

In order that the Club can deliver a number of requirements laid down by Leeds City Council in respect of its sports development programmes the Cricket School as the County Centre of Excellence is to receive a significant refurbishment to provide upgraded facilities particularly for women and the disabled. The provision of these community facilities is a vital ingredient of the development mix which is so important to our Lottery application.

Members will see from the attached plans the extent of the proposals which have now received outline planning permission. A detailed planning application will be submitted once the funding proposals have been agreed.

The �Memorandum of Understanding� already agreed between YCCC and LCFA will be further refined once the funding proposals have been confirmed and these details will be presented to Members at the earliest opportunity in order that the target commencement date of August next year can be achieved. Questions and comments from Members will be happily answered although it should be appreciated that much detail has still to be resolved. Let us hope the millennium year will see a satisfactory resolution of Headingley�s future both as a Test Match venue and worthy County Ground for our Members and supporters.

CD HASSELL
Chief Executive
(25 Oct 99)