The future of first-class cricket in the North East is looking positive following the granting of planning permission for a multi-million pound development at the Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street. But, as Alastair Gilmour discovers, this is only the start.

Durham County Cricket Club is not in the position where it can simply open its gates and have 50,000 people turn up; the Riverside team has always had to work hard to build an audience. But its vision is also timely in terms of where cricket is going – the Twenty20 World Cup was a terrific advert for the way cricket might look in the future and with this part of the world deeply rooted in spectator sport, putting two and two together could make significantly more than Twenty20.

"People know what attracts them to their local football club," says Harker. "It’s about regional pride, passion, loyalty and excitement. We can hook into that North East passion with an environment that’s family-friendly, accessible, safe and affordable and we are developing a stadium for international cricket, Twenty20 and England matches all broadcast to, for example, the Indian sub-continent.

"But we’re trying to get over that this isn’t just about cricket fans who only want to come and watch cricket, have a few drinks and enjoy a corporate jolly. It’s about how we invest in the region and create a regional asset for the benefit of everybody – something that goes well beyond supporting international cricket.

"We’re the only international cricket venue in the whole North East. That status and the prospect of those games allows us to do things that otherwise we wouldn’t be able to do in relation to schools and education programmes. As part of their work with us, for example, the kids might end up doing a display or demonstration in an international game in front of a full house at the Riverside.

"Cricket has always been part of the fabric of our sport and heritage but we don’t have centuries of Test match history to fall back on and we don’t have those people outside England who might recognise names like The Oval – with all the heritage that gives these venues credibility. But we have the newness, we have the progression and we have the success and we can develop a stadium which shows we are a real force in the game.

"We have to be able to demonstrate to potential sponsors that we have a value beyond the region; it’s about success on the field and ambition and about the big games we can stage. Getting Emirates involved in sponsorship was a bit of a coup for us. People recognise you by the friends you have. Brands are powerful, it’s about being distinctive in the marketplace, about having a personality that people recognise and want to be associated with.

"We have local supporters as well, like Ebac, and we’ve very deliberately made it our ambition to be the most friendly, most welcoming venue in international cricket. The region is a warm and welcoming place, it’s what it’s renowned for and it’s what we want to build on. We have to associate ourselves with brands that share our values. We have a very positive message which is giving us a platform and the confidence to go out and raise more funds."

One section in the main stand already features aircraft-style seats designed by Darlington-based company Challenger – with screens on the back for replays and close-ups. Using local companies – for the likes of catering – is very much part of the Durham CCC strategy. Students from Durham University even evaluate the effect of players going out to schools is having. This feeds back into the Durham Cricket Club Foundation where needs are identified with programmes designed as a result to exploit the resources available, whether it’s a world-class stadium, match-day activity, role models, or the profile and excitement of a sport famed for its concentrated effort and sense of fair play. And, another Paul Collingwood, Steve Harmison, Graham Onions or Liam Plunkett might just be inspired.

A sponsorship question David Harker wrestles with is: What has a cricket ground in Chester-le-Street got to do with my business in Newcastle?

"It’s about the education and the social scene," he says. "It’s about the whole North East. And, the fact that we have a first-class cricket club in the region doesn’t do any harm when big companies are recruiting nationally."

Durham University Business School estimates that over five years of international cricket the North East has benefited from £12.2m of customer spend and the potential value of image enhancement for the region to be valued at £660m.

One of the last acts of the old Durham County Council, before it changed to a unitary authority earlier this year, was to grant planning permission for the Riverside scheme. Coun Tracey Smith, on recommending its approval, said: "The value of this development to the local economy is immense."

It’s only the start but the prospect is extraordinary. And, it’s the answer David Harker would give.

For information on sponsorship, fixtures, match news and music weekends, visit www.durhamccc.co.uk