Sussex's plans for the next stage of development at the County Ground have been delayed until the end of the season at the earliest.

Finance for the project, which includes a major improvement of facilities at the sea end of the ground, will only become available when the complex estate of former president Spen Cama can be untangled.

Mr Cama left the club around £4.3 million when he died in 2001 but the club does not expect to receive any money until much later this year.

Sussex had to take out a £300,000 mortgage to help pay for the indoor school after they were refused lottery funding when news of the Cama legacy leaked out.

The £850,000 project, which includes new dressing rooms and offices on the site of the old squash club, was opened in November while the pavilion is being refurbished and members' facilities improved in time for the start of the new season.

Sussex's most ambitious plans are for the Gilligan Stand, which would disappear to make way for a two-storey public pavilion with banqueting facilities, new corporate boxes and media facilities. There will also be improved seating either side of the main scoreboard which is also being renovated.

The club are applying for planning permission and will have to do a traffic survey before they can start the second phase of their improvement plans.

Chairman David Green said: "The disposal of Spen Cama's will is extremely complex. The waters have been very muddied but they are starting to clear a little now.

"If we get planning and can start work at the end of the season then the project will be completed by the start of the 2004 season."

Meanwhile, the club have confirmed that Hugh Griffiths' temporary appointment as Chief Executive has been made permanent.

Griffiths was installed last October when Nigel Russell was sacked after just three months in the job. His replacement as Grounds Manager is John Mitchell, a former dressing room steward at the County Ground.