Morgan Sindall Construction appointed to deliver £5 million upgrade to historic cricket club

One of Hertfordshire’s oldest cricket clubs is set for a major overhaul following the appointment of Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver a £5 million transformation.

The project for Hitchin Town Cricket Ground (HTCG) Ltd will enable the construction of a new cricket pavilion, scorebox and hockey pitch at the ground on Lucas Lane, which was established in 1877 and is home to both Hitchin Cricket Club and Blueharts Hockey Club.

The upgrade is part of the club’s vision to develop the ground into a new and improved sporting facility for its members and the wider community. Construction work will also include the demolition of the ground’s existing clubhouse, which is a converted pre-war isolation hospital.

The project will also include extensive soft landscaping, which will see nine new trees planted at strategic points across the site to create an attractive environment. The project is expected to complete in late 2018.

Neil Franklin, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “As one of the oldest cricket grounds in Hertfordshire, Hitchin Town Cricket Ground is a well-established and much-loved part of the local community.
“This exciting upgrade to the club’s ground and pavilion will be crucial to ensure the provision of high-quality sports facilities at the ground, which has been a major fixture of the Hitchin community for over a century. Morgan Sindall is very pleased to have been appointed to deliver this fantastic scheme which will create a modern, first-class space for players, spectators and local residents to enjoy.”

HTCG Ltd chairman James Wright said: “We have achieved a pivotal milestone in the history of both clubs, as we finally can bring to life our aspiration of providing first class sporting facilities at Lucas Lane.
“Without this project we faced the very real possibility of having to leave our home. We have now secured the future of the Lucas Lane sports ground and our members and the local community will be able to enjoy the new facilities for many years to come.
“It has been a dream 20 years in the making - since competitive hockey was first required to be played on artificial pitches – to bring hockey back to Lucas Lane, and we are hugely grateful for the efforts of those who have worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality.
This achievement reflects many years of hard work to propose a balanced and considered scheme which will create a lasting sporting legacy for Hitchin and ensure the long term future of our clubs.”

Morgan Sindall Construction is currently on site at significant schemes across the region. In St Albans, the company has been appointed by St Albans City and District Council to deliver ten new town houses. The £4.8 million scheme is part of a major regeneration plan for the city centre.

The business is also halfway through a £6.1 million project to design and build Fairfield Lower School, a new two-form entry school to accommodate 300 pupils, in central Bedfordshire.

• For more information about this news release please contact Steph Bocking at Influential on 0151 239 5000 or email: [email protected]