Hampshire's Ageas Bowl: Hotel build resumes

The 175-room Hilton Hotel will dominate the cricket ground

Work has resumed on a hotel development at Hampshire's Ageas Bowl cricket ground.

Work on the 175-room Hilton was halted in October after developer Denizen went into administration.

Powells Group, based in Andover, has taken over the contract. The hotel is expected to open in Spring 2015.

RB Sport & Leisure, parent company of Hampshire Cricket, said the ground's owner, Eastleigh Borough Council, would not incur any additional costs.

Rod Bransgrove, chairman of Hampshire Cricket, said: "Our aim of creating a model test match ground and world-class destination resort is stronger than ever, although the realisation of this aim will be just a little later than we had originally planned."

A Powells Group spokesman said the firm's first objective would be to complete the media centre which needed to be fully operational for the start of the England v India test match on 27 July.