The Lord of all breaking ground ceremonies

ISG breaks ground as works start on the Compton and Edrich stands redevelopment at Lord’s.

The redevelopment of the stands at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, UK forms the second phase of the ground’s updated masterplan.

ISG is delivering the project for Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the two-year phased construction programme will see the erection of two new three-tiered stands, positioned either side of the J.P. Morgan Media Centre. The stands will provide significantly enhanced spectator facilities, as well as increased accessibility and amenities.

The new stands will also increase the capacity of the ground to 31,000 and will include associated dining facilities, twelve food and beverage outlets and two hospitality restaurants.

Welcoming guests from MCC, ISG, project architect, Wilkinson Eyre, and media outlets ITV and Sky Sports News, Lord’s chief executive and secretary, Guy Lavender discussed the exciting project and “how it couldn’t come at a better time following what had been an excellent summer for cricket, in which England won the ICC World Cup.” He continued by emphasising that the reasons for this change “were to benefit the spectators and to ensure Lord’s remains the best place in the world to watch cricket.”

Steven McGee, managing director for UK Construction South then took to the stage and commented: “The redevelopment of the Compton and Edrich stands will enable an additional 2,600 spectators to experience the thrilling atmosphere and spectacle of world-class sporting endeavour at the home of cricket.

“The MCC is responding to rising demand for seats at one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world, and the new stands represent sympathetic, yet progressive and future-proofed additions to the existing facilities at Lords. We’ll be taking our experience delivering iconic sporting venues across the UK and applying this directly to a complex scheme that will have an enduring legacy for cricket fans for many generations to come.”

Set out in three phases, ISG commenced phase one just after the second of The Ashes Tests. The works include the demolition and rebuilding of the Compton and Edrich stands which will feature an increased capacity of 11,500 seats. The new stands will be in three tiers, with the middle tier housing hospitality boxes and a restaurant.

With ISG now on site, #TeamISG took part in a small tournament hosted by the Marylebone Cricket Club, in Lord’s Cricket Academy. Each team had an opportunity to bat and then bowl, with the team with the most runs winning the match.

Taking place in the same academy where the likes of English cricketers Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad train, ISG faced off against Marylebone Cricket Club and the design team from WilkinsonEyre. In an evening enjoyed by all, WilkinsonEyre ran out winners.