A HOTEL close to the entrance of the Rose Bowl - the home of Hampshire Cricket - could be on the verge of expansion.

The Holiday Inn chain has put forward major plans to extend its Botley Road hotel, opened just three years ago opposite the entrance to the cricket ground.

The application involves a 45-bed, three-storey extension and dining room.

As well as increasing the capacity of the 131-bed hotel, it would create an additional 31 car park spaces.

The plans come as the Rose Bowl is on the threshold of an exciting future and confidence is high as in-form Hampshire looks forward to its latest Lords final.

Over the next few years the Rose Bowl is expecting a major influx of cricket fans as it moves towards its dream of fulfilling Test status.

Last year, county cricket chiefs unveiled a 35m plan to transform the Rose Bowl into a state-of-the-art cricket ground, with a capacity of 20,000 fans.

This is bound to lead to more demand for local hotel accommodation from away fans and teams.

Added to this is demand from visitors pouring into star-studded concerts at the Rose Bowl.

Music fans have come from hundreds of miles to watch performances by music legends such as The Who, Oasis and Billy Joel.

The Holiday Inn application is likely to be determined by the council's head of development control.