KENT’S controversial £9million scheme to redevelop their St Lawrence headquarters in Canterbury is bound to be the hot topic of discussion at Monday night’s annual meeting of the county cricket club.

Plans to sell off two pockets of land for 73 new homes and build a 130-bedroom hotel and 300-delegate conference centre have not been universally acclaimed by the county’s 4,500-strong membership, who will undoubtedly want their say at the meeting to be held at the Ramada Hotel and Resort in Hollingbourne, near Maidstone, from 7pm.

Club chairman Carl Openshaw, who describes the improvement plans as "essential, if Kent are to compete", has revealed that the club may have to commit to borrowing of £3.5million in order to push ahead with the scheme.

* See the Kentish Gazette (Thursday, March 15) for the full story.