The area under the microscope is on the extreme left of the picture

Plans are afoot to redevelop a strip of land running for 170 metres alongside Wellington Road behind the Nursery Ground and not owned by the club.

RL Partnership wants to buy off the remaining years on the MCC's lease to build apartments on the land.

And according to the Times, the club could earn �40 million from the deal.

Lord's can currently sell about 30,000 tickets for each day of a Test, making it easily the biggest of any cricketing venue in the country.

On the other hand, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Eden Gardens, Calcutta, can both get almost 100,000 into the ground.

We don't want to turn it into a hulking great stadium Laura Garland, MCC

Laura Garland, MCC deputy head of communcations, told BBC Sport: "I don't know what plans have been submitted.

"But the MCC spends its money on keeping Lord's world class and, in our opinion, keeping it the best ground in the world.

"If it's possible to increase the capacity while mantaining the character of the ground then I'm sure it's something we would consider.

"But we don't want to turn it into a hulking great stadium."

The land currently comprises the Nursery Pavilion and its accompanying hospitality area, plus a car park.

Network Rail are the original owners of the land, which is directly over the Jubilee Line underground railway between St John's Wood and Baker Street.