Lancashire are planning to erect the first permanent floodlights at an England Test match ground.

The club has applied for planning permission to put up eight 50-metre pylons which would ring Old Trafford.

Although Lancashire have held day-night matches for three years and will host a second One-Day International under lights between England and Australia in June, they have had some problems in the past, with generators failing twice and strong winds threatening matches.

"We just see it as a requirement for cricket," said Lancashire's chief executive Jim Cumbes. "If you're going to move forward at all you've got to look at these kind of things otherwise the game stands still.

"We've seen that our domestic matches under lights have been well attended. It looks as though internationally people want to play more floodlit cricket.

"In the future, maybe even in Test matches and domestic cricket you might be able to use lights if there is bad light. So it is friendly to the game."

The new lights would cost £750,000 and a council decision is expected within eight weeks.

Sussex are the only county to have installed permanent lights. Warwickshire also applied, but were refused planning permission because local residents complained.

© CricInfo Ltd.