New Stadia construction opportunities

Opportunities for a range of stadia construction projects across the UK are set to benefit contractors.

Glenigan’s construction industry research found more than 200 projects for stadia and spectator stands with planning permission and due to start on site in the next 12 months.

Premier plans

With TV money swelling the coffers of Premier League clubs, most of the bigger schemes are from the competition’s 20 clubs.

The largest is a £2 billion plan by Manchester United to build a new 100,000 capacity stadium (pictured) with an umbrella-shaped roof that harvests solar energy and rainwater (Glenigan Project ID: 22103080).

Aston Villa recently secured planning permission for a £100 million redevelopment of the North Stand at the club’s Villa Park Stadium (Glenigan Project ID: 25213096). Designed by architects Grimshaw, the scheme will add 12,000 seats to lift the ground’s capacity above 50,000, with work starting next year in time to host games at Euro 2028.

Leeds United is planning a £85 million expansion of their Elland Road Stadium in Yorkshire (Glenigan Project ID: 24273051), while AFC Bournemouth (Pictured)is progressing an £85 million phased development to eventually lift the capacity of its Vitality First Stadium above 20,000 (Glenigan Project ID: 25143812).

Second-tier striving

Outside the Premier League, a number of ambitious clubs in the second-tier Championship are also planning major stadia work.

Leicester won the Premier League in 2016 only to be relegated last summer. Despite this, the club wants to add 8,000 seats to its King Power Stadium as part of a £132 million mixed-use development in the city designed by architects KSS (Glenigan Project ID: 20313172).

Elsewhere, Oxford United has planning permission for a new £150 million 16,000-seat stadium (Glenigan Project ID: 22018448), and Wrexham has applied to add another 2,250 seats to the Welsh club’s Racecourse Ground as part of a £26 million redevelopment (Glenigan Project ID: 19237133).

Northern Irish funding boost

In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Executive has set up a Football Fund with £36.2 million to help clubs with their stadia work. After 38 applications, 20 clubs have made the second stage with projects valued at a total of £98 million.

These range from a £9.2 million proposal from Glentoran which already has planning permission to redevelop two stands at its Oval Stadium in Belfast (Glenigan Project ID: 21112550), to a £600,000 proposal for a new clubhouse by Carrick Rangers (Glenigan Project ID: 23256132).

Other sports

Stadia work is also coming up in a gamut of other sports, ranging from horse racing to golf and cricket.

Contractors have returned bids for a £5 million plan to build a new stand at Thirsk Racecourse in Yorkshire (Glenigan Project ID: 25368636). The scheme has been designed by architect KCA, and work is due to start before the end of this year.

A £20 million redevelopment of Kirkby Valley Golf Club on Merseyside has planning permission and will start next year once conditions have been finalised with the council (Glenigan Project ID: 19380558), while Cullompton Cricket Club has planning permission for a £6.4m cricket centre and pavilion in the Devon town (Glenigan Project ID: 20386400). Work should start in the New Year

Sporting chance

With a range of projects from massive football developments to smaller community-based schemes, stadia work looks set to provide a range of opportunities in the future.