Kent ground plans on hold

Kent have postponed plans to redevelop their Canterbury ground after a deal to sell off land fell through.

The county hoped the sale of an area behind the pavilion for housing could finance a £7million revamp of the St Lawrence ground.

Planning permission is in place for a hotel, conference centre, museum and hospitality boxes but the scheme will now have to wait for an economic upturn.

Kent chairman George Kennedy told BBC News: “We have no option but to pull the whole thing and wait until conditions improve.

“The people who tendered for the ground came up with a price but when the time came to put the money up they simply didn't have it.”

The news comes a week after Kennedy admitted financial results for the year ending in October 2008 would be “very disappointing”.