Yorkshire get green light on pavilion

Yorkshire have been given the go-ahead to begin the construction of a state-of-the-art £21million pavilion at Headingley Carnegie.

The Carnegie Pavilion, which will be a multi-purpose building including teaching facilities for Leeds Metropolitan University, is due to be completed in May 2010.

It will include a new media centre, upgraded player facilities, replacement spectator seating, premium hospitality suites and associated facilities.

Environmental, economic and social sustainability are central to the project, with the building used all year around.

Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan said: “Today marks the culmination of a lot of hard work and we are incredibly grateful to Leeds Metropolitan University for their continued enthusiasm and energy, not to mention their investment, which have been vital in keeping this project on track.

New drainage and irrigation systems are being installed at Headingley ready for the new season

“We also pay tribute to Leeds City Council, Yorkshire Forward, the England and Wales Cricket Board, Sport England and HSBC for their support for the club.

“The Carnegie Pavilion is important, not only to the club and its members, but to the city of Leeds and the county of Yorkshire. When completed it will be seen by over 500m TV viewers making it the most viewed building in Yorkshire and a landmark for the region.”

The pavilion is one of several ground improvements under way at Headingley Carnegie to meet many of the ECB’s requirements for Category A venues.

New drainage and irrigation systems are being installed in time for the new domestic season. Meanwhile, new seating will be added to replace seats lost on the top tier of the Winter Shed Stand which has now been demolished.

A new 102 square metre replay screen, which will also act as a scoreboard, will be installed in May - replacing the existing scoreboard adjacent to the East Stand where a new cricket museum and visitor centre will be added.