Wragge advises on £30m Edgbaston cricket development

Apr 27 2010 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post

The real estate team at Wragge & Co has advised on the £30 million redevelopment of the Warwickshire County Cricket Club ground in Edgbaston.

The redevelopment includes construction of a new stand on the south side of the ground and will increase Edgbaston’s capacity to 25,000.

Wragge’s commercial development partner Robert Caddick led a cross-firm team completing the agreements, supported by construction, banking, property and planning experts. The team also advised on securing vital funding from Birmingham City Council and Advantage West Midlands.

Mr Caddick said: “This is a hugely significant project for the club. Cricket venues throughout the UK compete to host test matches, so WCCC needs to ensure its facilities will be first class in order to win international matches.

"The club has faced enormous difficulties in getting the project off the ground and it needed the all-round support and expertise offered by our cross-firm team to realise it. It is great to be involved in delivering what I have no doubt will be one of the best cricket venues in the country.”

Project director Phil MacDonald said: “This project is a great example of partnership between organisations wanting to deliver a brighter future for the area.

"We are creating world class facilities in Birmingham which will draw the best teams and the most exciting cricket to Edgbaston. In turn this will bring economic benefits to the region. We could not have achieved this without the excellent advice and support of our professional team including Wragge & Co.”

The proposed redevelopment had been the subject of a judicial review, with an application made by a group of local residents who opposed the project. Wragge & Co’s planning specialists successfully advised WCCC on the issue, with the application subsequently refused by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.