DURHAM County Cricket Club’s chief executive says he can see no reason why this summer’s Ashes Test will not go ahead as planned.

David Harker was speaking after it emerged the Chester-le-Street-based club is seeking nearly £6m of public funding to secure the long-term future of international cricket at Durham.

Durham County Council has agreed in principle to a £2.8m loan and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is expected to agree to match that when it meets on Monday.

A further £1m will be sought from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Few details have yet been released of what the money would be spent on.

However, Mr Harker, who has led the club for 13 years, said it was looking at “a range of capital projects”.

One of these is believed to be more seats for the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground, which currently holds 19,000 fans for international matches.

However, all the projects are dependent on how much money is raised and the terms attached.

Earlier, a club spokeswoman said it was difficult to see how it could sustain its current infrastructure without international matches.

However, the club is still hoping to build a 150-bedroom hotel at the ground.

On the Ashes, Mr Harker said: “The status of the Ashes Test is we have a contract with the ECB to deliver the Test in August and both ourselves and the ECB are working towards that – and I can see no reason why that will not happen.”

Durham gained first-class status in 1991, hosted its first Test match in 2003 and won the county championship in 2008 and 2009.

Like many counties, it has been run at a loss in recent years. However, bosses hope it will return to profit during 2013.

Its first Ashes Test, the biggest date in the club’s history, is set for August.

The model of seeking council support for long-term development is one many other clubs have followed, including Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire.

An ECB spokesman said engaging local stakeholders was essential to the wellbeing of any first-class county and it was delighted Durham was doing this.