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Cricket

Oval gets floodlights go-ahead

08/10/2008

The Oval cricket ground in south-east London has been given permission by Lambeth council to install new permanent floodlights.

In a move that will make day-night games and evening Twenty20 fixtures much easier to stage in the future, the Oval will have four permanent masts installed at the venue.

A fifth pylon could also be erected if permission is granted by the Secretary of State for the proposed redevelopment of the Lock and Laker stands.

Announcing the move, Surrey county cricket club said the new lights have been "developed uniquely" to adhere to local policies and will be a marked improvement on the temporary lights that have been used in the past.

Surrey said this quick-fix system is "noisy, environmentally unfriendly, and did not prevent light from shining into neighbouring streets" and welcomed the new developments.

The chief executive of Surrey CCC, Paul Sheldon, said: "These floodlights will help to ensure that the Brit Oval, and the borough of Lambeth, can continue to lead the way in delivering the highest standards for hosting international and domestic cricket.

"Next year will be a hugely important one for the Brit Oval, with both the Ashes and the World Twenty20 to look forward to.

"We have and will continue to work very hard on minimising any impact of our new floodlights on local residents and we have taken a completely unique approach to the design to ensure this is the case.

"We are conscious of our role in the community and our proposed management plan will make a huge contribution to reducing the impact to local residents of matches at the Brit Oval."

The work will be completed over the winter with the lights to be up and running in time for the beginning of the 2009 domestic cricket season.