Lancashire cross fingers for decision on Old Trafford redevelopment

The longest and most nervy wait in Lancashire's 146-year history may finally end tomorrow night when the club hope to receive the go-ahead for the £32m plan to redevelop Old Trafford. A meeting of Trafford Council's planning committee will consider a recommendation to endorse the proposals, which include a new Tesco superstore to be built between the famous cricket and football grounds. The stakes could not be higher, as Lancashire have insisted throughout a lengthy process that Old Trafford's status as an international cricket venue is in the balance. "The plan is critical to our future," said the chief executive Jim Cumbes, who has led a campaign featuring the support of Andrew Flintoff, the family of the late Jim Laker, and Manchester United's cricket-loving midfielder Paul Scholes, among many others. "If this doesn't go through it effectively means the end of Tests at Old Trafford. Lancashire would survive as a county, but would become second-class citizens with the club unable to support a ground of this size any more." The major worry for Lancashire is that the council may refer the plans, which have provoked some opposition from local traders because of Tesco's involvement, for a national inquiry, particularly given the proximity of a general election. That would be as bad as outright rejection, as any delay would scupper their hopes of completing the redevelopment in time to bid for a Test during the next Ashes home series, in 2013. It was Old Trafford's exclusion from the 2009 Ashes series, when Lancashire were effectively squeezed out by a Glamorgan bid partly funded by the Welsh Assembly, that removed any doubt that their historic but dilapidated ground had to change. They were already considering an offer from Manchester City Council to move to a purpose-built stadium in Eastlands, and then received a counter-bid to move to Wigan. But the county's members preferred to stay at Old Trafford, the home of Lancashire cricket since the club were founded in 1864, and Trafford Council was equally keen to keep them. However, the involvement of Tesco was the only way Lancashire could secure sufficient funds to rebuild the ground to the standards demanded by the ECB for international cricket. The situation has been further complicated by a separate application from property developers based on the Isle of Man, to build a rival supermarket on the nearby White City retail park. The Trafford planning officers last week recommended the council reject that application, and endorse only Lancashire's bid. But Lancashire remain sufficiently worried about the outcome to have organised a march to the planning meeting tomorrow evening, which they would argue has more long-term significance than David Beckham's return to the other Old Trafford 24 hours earlier.