The ground is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and development has been held back by planning restrictions but the regeneration of the area has helped the case for change.
Squatters used to live in a large block of flats on the far side of the ground adjacent to the gasholders and they have finally left. The building was sold for £5m to a private developer and 75 flats are to be built on the site. However, the gasholders are likely to remain up to 10 years.
The Bedser Stand and the Ken Barrington Centre were built at the Pavilion End in 1991 and a £4m redevelopment of the pavilion completed in 1995. After that, there were frustrating delays.
Despite the lack of car parking at The Oval, the nearest Underground station is less than a hundred yards away.
When Sir Len Hutton scored 365 against Australia in 1938 the capacity of the ground was 30,000 but that included several thousand supporters sitting on the grass. Now they will have the best seats in the house, costing around £50 for a ticket for the next Ashes game.
