THE Prince of Wales — as Duke of Cornwall, the landlord of the Oval — personally approved plans announced yesterday for a significant redevelopment of the first ground in England to stage Test cricket. Surrey, still tenants of the Duchy of Cornwall, confirmed that they have finally secured the necessary funding and planning permission to allow them to proceed with a redevelopment plan at the Vauxhall End after two years of fundraising.

A new stand and additional terracing at the east and west of the ground will increase capacity from 19,000 to 23,000. Such is the Prince’s keen interest in architectural aesthetics that it may safely be assumed that the finished work will look worthy of the ground’s traditions. “He took a personal interest,” Paul Sheldon, the Surrey chief executive, said after 98 per cent of members had approved the plans at a special general meeting. The Vauxhall stand has been designed by HOK, the architects of the Millennium Stadium, the new Wembley and the Olympic Stadium in Sydney.

Work will start in February on a £22 million project that will add a media centre and facilities for conference, banqueting and extensive community use. The Ken Barrington Cricket Centre at the Pavilion End will also be refurbished.

The development has been separated from Surrey’s playing budget. Despite not offering terms to Alec Stewart, recently appointed the club’s “new business manager”, Sheldon said that the playing staff is still “comfortably the most expensive in England”.

The national lottery, Allied Irish Bank and Compass, the club’s caterers, all provided large sums towards the scheme, which should be completed by June 2005. Temporary seating will maintain the ground’s capacity for the main games next season.