Yorkshire CCC reveal plans to upgrade Headingley stadium over 20 years

Yorkshire County Cricket Club have unveiled ambitious plans to redevelop their famous Headingley Ground.

The programme titled ‘Headingley Masterplan’ will take 20 years to complete and, in addition to upgrading a number of stands, will increase the stadium’s capacity to 20,000.

The club announced in a statement: “The scheme includes the installation of floodlights and the rebuilding of the North/South Stand, adjoining the rugby ground.

“This will become the centrepiece of the project. The capacity of the cricket ground will increase from 17,000 to 20,000 in the redevelopment.”

Yorkshire CCC chairman, Colin Graves, said: “This is the most ambitious project the club and venue will have undertaken since the ground was first established 125 years ago.

The stark reality is that if our stadium fails to evolve we will lose our Test Match status, which would be a devastating blow to the region.

“We want to create a stadium that is amongst the finest in the world and enable Yorkshire to continue to stage major international fixtures over the long term.

Evolve

“As other venues around the country continue to invest in their facilities, we cannot afford to standstill and expect that Headingley will always host international cricket.

“The stark reality is that if our stadium fails to evolve we will lose our Test Match status, which would be a devastating blow to the region.”

The work, once agreed by the local council planning department, will take place over six phases.

Phase One: Erection of four permanent floodlight pylons.

Phase Two: Rebuild the North/South Stand in conjunction with Leeds Rugby to incorporate a three-tiered seating area to accommodate 5,060 seats, enhance corporate facilities and new permanent concession units.

Phase Three: To incorporate an additional 915 seats in the upper tier of the North East Stand.

Phase Four: The development of a new pavilion in the North West area of the stadium which will be built on five levels. This to include state-of-the-art corporate facilities, new dressing rooms, Members’ Long Room plus the creation of a main entrance to the stadium on the Kirkstall Lane.

Phase Five: The erection of a translucent cantilever roof to cover the White Rose Stand on the western side of the ground.

Phase Six: Landscaping on the White Rose Stand and North East stand concourses.