Stadium Development

Latest images of the Ground Development

The Really Welsh Pavilion

The new Pavilion - sponsored by The Really Welsh Company - has 2,660 permanent seats, and occupies the land between the National Cricket Centre and the site of the previous scoreboard. The image below shows the view of the rear of the Really Welsh Pavilion, with the National Cricket Centre on the right.

The Pavilion contains:

A landscaped area, containing a lawn, will be created to the north of the Really Welsh Pavilion, with 80 car parking spaces adjacent to the new pavilion, plus parking for 50 cycles beneath the concourse.

The Grandstand

The new Grandstand has been built on the site of the former pavilion, erected in 1966/67 following the move by the Cricket Section of Cardiff Athletic Club from the Arms Park to the Sophia Gardens Recreation Ground.

The Grandstand has over 4,864 permanent seats with two blocks of toilets located on the ground floor. The new Grandstand is seen in the middle of the image above.

The Cathedral Road Stand

The new stand at the Cathedral Road End contains 3,494 seats on the lower level, with a state-of-the-art Media Centre above, containing four broadcasting boxes for radio stations and three television studios, plus a tiered seating area for over 100 journalists.

The Corner Stand

The Corner Stand has been built on the site of the old Cathedral Suites. The latter initially served as the club offices in the 1980`s, and then from 1999 as an overspill hospitality area. The single-storey building was demolished at the end of the 2006 season, and has now been replaced by a new stand with over 2,000 seats. At the rear of the stand, there will be a cricket shop, plus a turnstile complex, with a tented entrance canopy adjacent to the Wilfred Wooller Gates, in addition to 120 car parking spaces for use by staff, players and officials.

The Riverside Stand and Scoreboard complex

The new Riverside Stand will have 674 permanent seats in a single storey building, extending across where the previous Media Centre had stood at the River End since the mid-1980`s when it was first erected to serve as the club`s hospitality box. and the Vice-Presidents enclosure.

A new electronic scoreboard and groundstaff building has been built at the rear of the new Riverside Stand. In addition, there will be an entrance in front of the Groundstaff / Scoreboard Building, allowing spectators walking to the ground along the Taff Trail to enter the ground . This entrance will be used during One-Day Internationals and Test Matches, and possibly in Twenty20 matches when large crowds are anticipated.

The Pontcanna and Castle Stands

Two new stands have been built at the River End, with the Pontcanna Stand adjacentto the Really Welsh Pavilion on the site of the previous scoreboard and groundsman's building. The Castle Stand is in front of the new electronic scoreboard, roughly where the Vice-President's enclosure previously existed.

Ground capacity

The Cardiff ground will have a total seating capacity of 15, 643.A total of 1,439 existing permanent seats have been retained in the Riverside and Members stands, with an additional 14,204 permanent seats being added in the Really Welsh Pavilion, Grandstand, Cathedral Road Stand, Corner Stand, Pontcanna and Castle Stands.

Schedule of work

Construction work on the development project commenced in the Autumn 2006 and everything is on course for completion in March 2008. The whole complex will be ready for the start of the 2008 season, which includes on September 3rd, the NatWest Series One Day International between England and South Africa.

You can see how work has progressed by viewing our gallery of the latest images showing how a world-class international cricket stadium has been created in the Welsh capital city which in 2009 will host an Ashes Test Match between England and Australia.