Warwickshire CCC asks city council for £20m loan to rebuild Edgbaston

Dec 15 2008 by Paul Dale, Public Affairs Editor

A row has broken out over a £20m Birmingham City Council loan that is the key element in the showpiece refurbishment of Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s Edgbaston ground.

The club admitted when it announced the plans - aimed at making sure Test matches continue to be played in Birmingham - that it would have to borrow money.

But officials did not spell out then that they were discussing with the council the possibility of a loan to pay for two-thirds of the £30 million cost of transforming the world-famous cricketing arena.

The prospect of a bail-out has angered Edgbaston Conservative city councillor James Hutchings, who wants to know how long it would take the cricket club to repay the loan and the rate of interest to be charged.

A meeting of the Edgbaston Ward Committee questioned whether a large loan should be handed to a profit-making commercial organisation.

Members pointed out that the council is facing a severe strain on its own resources and struggling to identify funding for major projects including the 50-metre Olympic swimming pool and the new city library.

Councillors are concerned that the cricket club, which has struggled to break even over the past two years, might not be able to afford the repayments. The ward committee urged the club to consider a cheaper plan, replacing the pavilion and media centre but saving money by not building a new stand.

A planning application proposes increasing the capacity of Edgbaston by 4,000 with enhanced corporate hospitality and events space.