First look at how construction work is coming along at the new Lancashire Cricket Club ground in Farington

The facility, off Stanifield Lane, will house 5,000 spectactors when it’s complete – and that could be next year.

Heavy machinery and workers in high-vis jackets could be seen on the muddy site today, which is visible from the A582 and Stanifield Lane.

Sections have already been levelled off and hardcore put down. There are also several storage cabins erected on the site.

What’s it going to be like?

When it opens, the facility is set to stage up to six men's T20 matches a year, a further two four-day fixtures for the county men’s team and six Lancashire women’s teams games.

Serving as a compliment to Old Trafford, it will boast two full-size cricket ovals, a two-storey pavilion building and practice nets - and it is intended that it will support the development of youth, community and women’s cricket in the region, while also becoming a Women’s Centre of Excellence for the North West.

A second ground for the club was deemed necessary, because Old Trafford is now operating at beyond its maximum capacity - with international cricket, elite Lancashire men's and women's fixtures and 100-ball competitions all now part of the busy seasonal schedule.

Read here what an ex-test star had to say about the state of Old Trafford

Planning permission was granted by Lancashire County Council’s development control committee in March 2023, but required final approval from the government before construction could begin.