Villa Park Redevelopment

[Cliftonville Villlain]

Despite the improvements Villa Park still drips history, and no matter how other grounds are aesthetically pleasing or with bigger capacities, that kind of history just can't be bought.

[Dante Lavelli]

With my architect’s hat on, I’d do an exact replica of the Trinity facade and steps but further from the pitch (so it can be a massive stand). Then have glass thing above it.  It’d illustrate how far we have grown whilst showing off our heritage.

largely inspired by this building on Upper Street in London.  It looks great and attracts loads of attention.

https://www.dezeen.com/2019/04/01/amin-taha-groupwork-168-upper-street-london/

[Brazilian Villain]

Despite the improvements Villa Park still drips history, and no matter how other grounds are aesthetically pleasing or with bigger capacities, that kind of history just can't be bought.

Exactly, a mate of mine is an Arsenal fan and every now and then he'll admit that it's just not the same since they left Highbury (even though he's from Dublin).

[Nev]

Despite the improvements Villa Park still drips history, and no matter how other grounds are aesthetically pleasing or with bigger capacities, that kind of history just can't be bought.

Exactly, a mate of mine is an Arsenal fan and every now and then he'll admit that it's just not the same since they left Highbury (even though he's from Dublin).

They're a prime example of a club that lost 50% of their identity after leaving their ground.
You can, of course point out the trophies particularly the 2015 one (shudders) but they will never be the Arsenal of old. But then I'm old so I'm out of step I suppose.

[Percy McCarthy]

One of the great things about Villa Park is that we could build a 60k stadium there for about £300/400m with two new stands. Not many clubs have that opportunity.

[Chris Harte]

One of the great things about Villa Park is that we could build a 60k stadium there for about £300/400m with two new stands. Not many clubs have that opportunity.

I'm not sure that there is an opportunity, although I'd be happy to be corrected.

Back in the nineties, when the old one-tier Witton Lane stand needed redeveloping, a huge part of the limitation as I remember was the neighbours at the back of the stand were complaining that they'd never see the sun from their homes again. Now I'm not sure whether this was just an excuse by the neighbours who felt they'd been rubbed-up the wrong way/not offered enough of a bung by the club's then chairman, but it seems to me that the same problem still exists.

If that's no longer the case then great.

[Percy McCarthy]

One of the great things about Villa Park is that we could build a 60k stadium there for about £300/400m with two new stands. Not many clubs have that opportunity.

I'm not sure that there is an opportunity, although I'd be happy to be corrected.

Back in the nineties, when the old one-tier Witton Lane stand needed redeveloping, a huge part of the limitation as I remember was the neighbours at the back of the stand were complaining that they'd never see the sun from their homes again. Now I'm not sure whether this was just an excuse by the neighbours who felt they'd been rubbed-up the wrong way/not offered enough of a bung by the club's then chairman, but it seems to me that the same problem still exists.

If that's no longer the case then great.

Well, Liverpool solved their very similar problem in a very tawdry way, but it could be done ethically I think. My mate lives in Village Road and he’s hoping to get offered above market value for his house if the Villa decide to expand over that side.

I think there are about 80 homes that would need to be bought to facilitate it. Personally I think we’ll have to wait and see if there is still pent up demand for seats after capacity increases to 50k, then it would be the next logical step.

[Meanwood Villa]

Apologies if this is asking the obvious but is the North Stand redevelopment definitely happening? Last I remember was it was still a bit up in the air?

[Chris Harte]

One of the great things about Villa Park is that we could build a 60k stadium there for about £300/400m with two new stands. Not many clubs have that opportunity.

I'm not sure that there is an opportunity, although I'd be happy to be corrected.

Back in the nineties, when the old one-tier Witton Lane stand needed redeveloping, a huge part of the limitation as I remember was the neighbours at the back of the stand were complaining that they'd never see the sun from their homes again. Now I'm not sure whether this was just an excuse by the neighbours who felt they'd been rubbed-up the wrong way/not offered enough of a bung by the club's then chairman, but it seems to me that the same problem still exists.

If that's no longer the case then great.

Well, Liverpool solved their very similar problem in a very tawdry way, but it could be done ethically I think. My mate lives in Village Road and he’s hoping to get offered above market value for his house if the Villa decide to expand over that side.

I think there are about 80 homes that would need to be bought to facilitate it. Personally I think we’ll have to wait and see if there is still pent up demand for seats after capacity increases to 50k, then it would be the next logical step.

Just had a look on Google Earth and I'd say it'd be a lot more than eighty homes would need to be bought before they even got to Village Road, even assuming that some of that estate/rows of streets weren't purchased and left as they are. The DE/North corner is approx 170 metres from Village Road. Would they need to demolish properties that far back? I don't know.

[Chris Harte]

Personally I think we’ll have to wait and see if there is still pent up demand for seats after capacity increases to 50k, then it would be the next logical step.

This would make a lot of sense. I suspect that around 50k might please everyone, unless we can achieve and maintain top 3 finishes for a long time.

A friend of mine recently went to Tottenham's stadium to watch the an NFL game. He said the ground was just on another level to VP in terms of the size of the concourses, the service, etc. What ever they do on the rebuilt stand(s) I just hope they've done their homework and go for a similar standard.

There was a suggestion that the Holte may also be improved in future in a "second phase". I would suggest excavating out below the LH concourse/Lower Grounds and essentially dropping the Lower Grounds into the space below, thus opening up the LH concourse. When I mentioned this previously it was suggested that the local water table may make this an unfeasible solution, but there maybe be other issues too that make it a non-starter or probihitively expensive.

[spangley1812]

Apologies if this is asking the obvious but is the North Stand redevelopment definitely happening? Last I remember was it was still a bit up in the air?

Yes it is......Work is starting after the Foo Fighters Gig on 27/06/2024

[Meanwood Villa]

Apologies if this is asking the obvious but is the North Stand redevelopment definitely happening? Last I remember was it was still a bit up in the air?

Yes it is......Work is starting after the Foo Fighters Gig on 27/06/2024

Cheers

[ADVILLAFAN]

Can't we just start work before that and not have a gig for The Wings of the 90s?

[Clampy]

Can't we just start work before that and not have a gig for The Wings of the 90s?

That's a bit of a weird and nonsense comparison, blimey.

[Sexual Ealing]

True. They're much worse than Wings.