BLUEPRINT FOR LORD’S

DAVID MORLEY ARCHITECTS(20 October 2014 - DRAFT)

DAVID MORLEY ARCHITECTS18 Hatton Place - London - EC1N 8RU - 020 7430 2444davidmorleyarchitects.co.uk

David Morley Architects have 20 years of experience working at Lord’s. They recognise both the need to maintain the special character of the Ground and the need for Lord’s to lead the world in cricket development.

CONTENTS

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 12

Page 14

Foreword

Background

Nursery End

Pavilion End

Summary of Benefits

The Blueprint delivers five new stands, more space for the public and members to enjoy cricket and fantastic new facilities worth £200 Million.

Major development is needed to protect and develop the position of Lord’s as the best cricket ground in the world. This ‘Blueprint for Lord’s’ shows the tremendous benefits that can be achieved for cricket, for the Members and for the public.

For cricket, these proposals show a double benefit. First, how value can be created and shared in order to fund five new stands. Second, the plans create more space underground for service areas and the much needed expansion of the broadcasting compound. This releases more space above ground level for enjoying cricket.

For MCC members, funding and space can be delivered for improving facilities such as picnic lawns, expanding the Pavilion, Library, Museum, Real Tennis courts and residential accommodation.

For the public, a more open aspect of Lord’s is proposed, with 365 day a year cricket related activity enlivening the Wellington Road frontage.

In all, the Blueprint shows how £200 million worth of new facilities can be created and funded.

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Page 1

Foreword

Pavilion End:Potential for shared development by MCC and RLP

Nursery End:Land leased by MCC from landowner RLP

The Blueprint resolves the land ownership issues which have historically prevented a truly holistic master plan for Lord’s from being delivered.

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Background

Page 2

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The Wellington Road frontage is currently very congested on major match days and is spoiled by unsightly refuse and recycling facilities.

The 39m wide strip of land along the Wellington Road frontage forms part of the land originally purchased by MCC in 1887 but then, a decade later, requisitioned for the construction of three railway tunnels. The land has since been acquired by RLP who lease it to MCC.

The photo of the leasehold land on the left illustrates the following problems that currently exist:

o The Broadcasting Compound is half the size now recommended by ECB and Sky and there is no room to expand it;

o On major match days the temporary Nursery Pavilion, for which planning approval expires in 2018, is not large enough and hospitality and catering facilities overspill onto the Nursery Ground;

o The rubbish, recycling and service uses at ground level limit the potential to create a new public frontage that will befit the ‘Home of Cricket’.

All these problems can be solved by MCC and RLP working in collaboration. The service spaces can be expanded and re-located underground to create more generous spaces above for enjoying cricket.

Page 3

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View of the leasehold land showing how congested it becomes on major match days

Nursery End

The Wellington Road frontage is currently dominated by anun-welcoming narrow pavement and brick wall.

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The Blueprint includes a wider pavement and a new VIP entrance, creating a more welcoming public frontage to Lord’s – an idea welcomed by Westminster City Council.

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Page 5

By working in partnership with MCC and RLP the full potential of the Wellington Road frontage can be realised, creating more space for cricket and funding 5 new stands.

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UPPER LEVELS:Two, 11 storey high blocks are proposed with 97 flats. The value generated will be shared by MCC and RLP and will enable the funding of five new stands. The apartments will be designed with balconies that are screened by a combination of glazed and perforated screens with awnings which will prevent any hazards from cricket ball impact and minimise any sense of overlooking.

NURSERY GROUND:Retained at its current size with an additional circulation area added for safety along the north east boundary.

INDOOR SCHOOL:The existing building can be retained and additional space created in the adjacent development for an expanded member’s gym and enhanced educational facilities.

In addition to the value shared by MCC and RLP from residential development, the proposal creates twice as much space for MCC along the Wellington Road frontage.

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”VEHICLE ACCESS:Via a ramp adjacent to the re-positioned North Gate.

LOWER LEVELS – MCC USE:A new entrance from Wellington Road and a two-storey high, enlarged Nursery Pavilion will give space for hospitality and banqueting for 1,000 people with related exhibition space and cloakrooms. There will be an additional street frontage for MCC facilities such as shops, a museum and sports clinic which will make Lord’s feel more welcoming.

BASEMENT 1 – MCC USE:A new 30,000 sq ft Broadcast Compound (double the size of the existing) provides for the recommendations of ECB and Sky for a future proofed facility. The existing refuse compound is located here along with 50 car spaces for MCC.

BASEMENT 2:97 car spaces for residents with access by car lift.

Page 7

There will be an additional street frontage for MCC facilities such as shops, a museum and sports clinic which will make Lord’s feel more welcoming.

The pavement along Wellington Road is currently narrow and the Lord’s boundary wall makes an uninviting barrier to the public. The proposed new colonnade will provide a generous frontage for all year round, cricket focussed, activity such as exhibitions, events, the museum, shops and a sports clinic.

At the corner, shown above, the colonnade turns to face the roundabout and provides a bold new setting for the Gilbert Bayes relief sculpture: 'Play Up, Play Up and Play the Game'.

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The design will also enhance the townscape by giving a more complete setting to St John's Wood Church Gardens as a significant civic garden. When viewed from the south, it gives a sense of focus towards the roundabout and, with the mansion blocks along St John’s Wood High Street, it provides a framed setting for St John's Wood Church.

Three very constructive, and positive, pre-planning application meetings with the City of Westminster have been held so far. Feedback has been extremely encouraging and there has been no objection to the principle of development on the leasehold land. Similarly there has been no objection to the proposed design approach.

These proposals will allow all of the existing facilities on the 39m deep Wellington frontage, including the broadcasting compound, to be re-provided and expanded.

All of the unsightly rubbish skips, lorries and car parking will be neatly and securely housed underground. The new 30,000 sqftbroadcast compound will also be underground in purpose designed facilities to suit the requirements of Sky and ECB.

A new VIP entrance from Wellington Road and a two-storey high, 40,000 sqft Nursery Pavilion will give twice as much space for hospitality and banqueting for 1,000 people with related exhibition space and cloakrooms.

Page 8

The full extent of the Nursery Ground boundaries will be retained with an additional circulation area added along the boundary below the Nursery Pavilion Terrace.

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Page 9The Nursery Pavilion remains the focal point of the Nursery Ground. Apartments are set back in the corners with balconies which are fully protected from cricket ball impact.

Views of the trees from the Pavilion will be retained before the Compton and Edrich Stands are re-developed…

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”Page 10

… and after the Compton and Edrich Stands are re-developed the new residences will be hidden from view.

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Page 11

At the Pavilion End there is an opportunity to expand the buildings and open spaces to relieve the considerable congestion surrounding the Members’ facilities by making creative use of the seven Grove End Road properties adjacent to the ground.

The picture on the left shows how congested the Coronation Garden becomes on a major match day.

‘The Houses – Opportunity Lost’ is the title of Chapter 13 of Duff Hart-Davis’s book ‘Pavilions of Splendour’. He describes how the MCC Committee was far sighted enough to set a goal to acquire the freeholds of the houses surrounding Lord’s and how this goal was achieved, finally, in 1929.

However, since then, several of the houses were acquired by others and the opportunity, gained in 1929, has since been lost.

Of the seven houses behind the Harris and Coronation Gardens three each are now owned by MCC and RLP. This therefore gives the potential for a joint development with MCC and RLP, allowing the ‘Opportunity Lost’ to be re-gained.

The development of the Grove End Road properties enables a new series of buildings to be constructed which can incorporate

By working in partnership with MCC and RLP the full potential of the Grove End Road frontage can be realised to relieve the considerable congestion behind the Pavilion.

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apartments for sale and new facilities for MCC Members including: space for a renewed and expanded Racquet Centre to include 2 championship Real Tennis Courts and 2 squash courts, unless these are re-sited at the Nursery End; renewed office accommodation for MCC and MCCC use; renewed and expanded accommodation for catering and retail facilities; secure underground car parking; a new members’ entrance to the ground from Grove End Road; ticket office and 60,000 sqft of residential accommodation for use by MCC and the cricket community.

These facilities can be linked below ground level to the basement of the Pavilion. This will enable the unsightly Memorial Building to the rear of the Pavilion to be removed allowing a new, much expanded, sequence of lawns, terraces and gardens to be created for use by the Members as shown overleaf.

To the rear of the Pavilion there would then be the potential to expand the Long Room Bar, with additional facilities for Players and Umpires above. This would relieve the current congestion and create superb views across the expanded Gardens.

The proposed works to both the Nursery End and the Pavilion End can be phased to suit MCC requirements."

Pavilion End

Page 12

View showing the potential for expanded Harris Memorial and Coronation Gardens. New Members’ facilities are on the left, linked below ground to the extended Pavilion on the right. Page 13

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Summary of Benefits

Page 14

By working in partnership MCC and RLP can create major benefits for:

Worth £200 Million to MCC.

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1) MCC Members;2) Cricket;3) The Public.

2: For Cricketo Funding for five new match ground stands;

o Enhanced capacity for the Indoor School;

o More space for the public and members and fantastic new facilities worth £200 Million.

3: For the Publico A more generous, active and welcoming

public frontage to Lord’s;

o A new VIP entrance from Wellington Road releasing more capacity at the other entrances;

o A wider pavement along Wellington Road;

o An expanded 30,000 sqft broadcast compound, underground and away from public view;

o Space for an expanded 40,000 sqft Nursery Pavilion with more flexibility for community uses;

o Underground service areas for refuse, recycling, storage and secure underground car parking releasing space above ground for enjoying cricket;

o A new and improved North Gate;

o An alternative, more public, site for the Museum;

o Space for retail facilities and a sports clinic.

1: For MCC Memberso Expanded lawns and terraces;

o Space to expand the Pavilion including extending the Long Room Bar;

o 60,000 sqft of residential accommodation for the cricket community, staff and the Chief Executive;

o A renewed and expanded Racquet Centre to include 2 championship Real Tennis Courts and 2 squash courts;

o Renewed office accommodation for MCC and MCCC use;

o Renewed and expanded accommodation for catering and retail facilities;

o Secure underground car parking;

o A new members’ entrance to the ground from Grove End Road and a ticket office.

Page 15