As the £200 million redevelopment of Lord's was being discussed by members yesterday, Surrey were having to contend with a significant setback to their own plans for revamping the Brit Oval. The Times has learnt that a public inquiry is to be called over the safety of the adjacent gas holders. This will not be held before the autumn at the earliest, which means that the proposed hotel and nearly 2,000 new seats will not be installed in time for the Test against Australia and ICC World Twenty20 matches next year.

The gas holders have been a landmark at the ground since Victorian times. There has been no sign of a crack, let alone a leak, from the gas supply that is still in everyday use, but the Health and Safety Executive deems them to be a risk to spectators in the new seating. Surrey are even contemplating decommissioning the gas holders. “This would take years but might be the answer,” Paul Sheldon, the chief executive, admitted. “We convinced Lambeth Council, who were very vigilant, that this would be a safe project. They were convinced there was no risk and were swayed by the area's regeneration and the employment that the hotel would bring.

“This will be a severe test case as there are gas holders in Stratford which will have implications for the Olympics in London. We are fortunate that Arora Hotels are not abandoning us, but building inflation is running at 10 per cent a year.”

The inquiry has been called by Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Surrey will be represented by Robert Griffiths, QC, who acted for Darrell Hair, the umpire, at his tribunal hearing last year, in which he claimed racial discrimination against the ICC - a case that was eventually dropped by Hair.