Sussex County Cricket Club will find out today if it can carry out a major refurbishment of its ground in Hove.

Representatives will speak at Brighton and Hove City Council's planning meeting in Hove Town Hall at 2pm.

The club has threatened to leave the town if councillors turn down its planning application, saying it could not continue to grow and prosper in its existing facilities.

It says it might be forced to move to somewhere like Crawley.

But some neighbours have accused it of making these kinds of threats in the past in a bid to play on the city's heart strings. The club, which has been at the county ground for 167 years, has been enjoying fantastic success and has won six trophies including the County Championship.

Gus Mackay, the club's chief executive, said: "We have proved to be one of the most successful sides in recent cricketing history. Our success has been compared to the equivalent of Brighton and Hove Albion finishing ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United. But to continue to compete for honours it is essential that we have a ground that is both welcoming to spectators and fit for the 21st century. It has to provide additional income streams. If we cannot develop a ground to this required standard then our future at Hove is bleak."