Sussex County Cricket Club can build new cricket stands and facilities after councillors unanimously approved detailed plans.
Outline permission was granted to revamp the whole ground in Hove in 2020.
Detailed plans for three new stands secured permission from Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday 7 August.
The application is to replace an informal seating area with two stands of permanent seating and to demolish and replace the hospitality facilities with a third new stand at the ground in Eaton Road.
There were six objections to the plans, raising concerns about noise, over-development, additional traffic and the impact on neighbours.
Brighton and Hove Independent councillor Mark Earthey said he struggled to understand how improving the ground would change the impact on neighbours.
Councillor Earthey said: “It’s an existing cricket ground and all we’re being asked to do is making it better.
“They’re not making the footprint any bigger, they’re just using the space already there.
“I can’t understand the objection about additional traffic because it’s already a cricket ground so presumably the traffic flow planning was in there when we approved it the first time.”
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald said the cricket ground is an asset to the city.
She said: “It’s great they’re doing this and improving disabled access for a start and improving the stands and hospitality area.
“Some of those hospitality areas are really more temporary buildings.”
Green councillor Sue Shanks said she was interested that seating was replacing standing areas.
Councillor Shanks said: “Presumably they can charge more for seating than for standing. I know being a poor cricket fan isn’t a protected characteristic, I just wonder if that’s why they’re doing it.
“I’m not a fan of cricket so I’m not going to pay either way.”
Labour councillor Ty Galvin said: “Having been partial to cricket over the years I’ve had great times at the county ground and it’s great to see the improvements they’re making there.
“It’s a great asset to the city and I just hope they can make similar improvements to the team.”
The two new stands – either side of the bowling sight screens with storage beneath – are described in the application as modernising the north end of the ground, backing onto Cromwell Road.
A new bar/ refreshment area and more toilets are included to serve the new stands.
A new south-east stand with a bar/refreshment facilities and toilets is also planned near the Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue on the corner of Eaton Road and Palmeira Avenue.
Sounds great. Now, would they like to try promoting the cricket there? The only time I’ve seen any promotion for the ground was a poster at a Saltdean bus stop advertising a pop concert!
Great news at long last the ground will be modernised & hopefully we can get promoted & win the T20 this year