Development plans unveiled to transform The Ageas Bowl including new hotel, housing and car parks

The vision of the landscape-led, sustainable development hopes to transform the existing infrastructure at The Ageas Bowl, while making it financially sustainable.

The plans aim to protect the legacy of the club and venue for future generations.

A team of specialist consultants have been engaged in the planning process alongside Land & Development Limited (LDA) to guide the proposal to this pre-application stage.

The scheme would rely on unlocking value from a proposed residential development scheme, with the income then being applied to redevelop the venue and accelerate the speed in which they can pay off legacy debt.

The proposed development to the west of the stadium would provide 103 houses and 80 apartments, and would utilise existing car parking space.

An independent living facility has also been proposed on the southwest side of the stadium, which will house 71 en-suite units.

Two new car parks, one next to Botley Road and one next to Charles Watts Way, would be built to double the amount of onsite parking available.

The new parking areas will also improve traffic flow on match days, in particular relieving congestion on Botley Road.

Pedestrian access to The Ageas Bowl would also be enhanced including a new 'fan village' which will provide additional facilities and amenities, as well as de-conflicting pedestrian and vehicle access to the venue.

Under the plans, the Boundary Lakes Golf Club clubhouse would be moved to off Moorhill Road.

The aim of the relocation is to reduce pressure on road infrastructure around the venue and to improve traffic flow on match days.

The relocation would be accompanied by significant enhancements to the clubhouse, making it one of the best in the area.

A new hotel has also been proposed, comprising 135 double bedrooms and a large event space to complement the existing Hilton Hotel at The Ageas Bowl.

The new facility would offer additional accommodation and would help to attract larger events and conferences to the local area.

A new well-being centre is included in the plans to the northwest of the stadium, which hopes to accommodate a range of health services such as GP medical rooms, physiotherapy, opticians, a pilates and yoga studio, and a gymnasium.

In addition, the development envisages a widening of the stadium footprint which would allow for an increase in capacity while enhancing the fan experience.

This would support The Ageas Bowl’s ongoing aspiration to host additional major international matches and events.

Additional finances generated via the development will help the venue to repay a significant amount of legacy debt, which will help to protect jobs at the venue and in the area.

The Ageas Bowl chairman, Rod Bransgrove said: ‘The sharing of our transformational plans with the public is an incredibly exciting moment. These ambitious plans represent the fulfilment of our original pledge to secure the long-term future of The Ageas Bowl and Hampshire Cricket whilst further enhancing our amenities for the local community. The plans have been expertly guided to this pre-application stage and we now look forward to receiving feedback from the public to assist us in shaping our final submission.’

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The plans have been put through a number of designs following the council and design review panel.

The public has been encouraged to provide feedback for consideration.

If you wish to provide feedback, please visit this link for further details on the proposal or you can submit any comments or questions to [email protected].

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron,

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