Following the public enquiry, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has given the green light to plans by Surrey County Cricket Club and Arora International Hotels for the demolition of the Lock, Laker and Peter May stands and the creation of an additional 1,830 seats (the precise number of seats was confirmed at the public enquiry) and a hotel.
Oval's local Lib Dem Councillors supported local residents over their concerns regarding the loss of daylight, extra noise, traffic and disturbance, we wrote to the enquiry about them and Councillor Andrew Sawdon raised these and other concerns at the public enquiry alongside residents of the Kennington Park Estate, Kennington Oval and Rothesay Court (near the Oval tube).
The plans originally went to public enquiry following the Health and Safety Executive raising concerns over the proimity of the nearby Kennington gas holders, but the Secretary of State has now decided that these concerns (and those of the residents) do not warrant refusing permission.
The permission did come with restrictions on the hours of operation of the building work (and, once finished, the buildings themselves) and noise restrictions, and we will be keeping in contact with local residents to ensure these conditions are adhered to.
