Villa Park Redevelopment

[algy]

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.

I do wonder if an ethical way of doing it might be to offer the current residents above market value for their property, but with leaving on their terms ... so the property can only be transferred to Aston Villa, but when that happens is down to them - if they want to live the rest of their lives there, fair enough - they'll get an above-market-rate passed on to their kids.

Not a particularly speedy way of resolving it, but it will get it sorted out and probably be no slower than how Liverpool have gone about it.  Could even potentially offer a premium for moving out within a set timeframe (I dunno - 5 years, 10 years, ...) if we wanted the process to move a little faster.

[Sexual Ealing]

Aston Villa’s long-term plan to build a 50,000-seat Villa Park is complex.

Vested interests are evident and time is pressing since Villa Park was named a host ground for the 2028 European Championship.

The proposal is to knock down the North Stand, wrapping it with the neighbouring Trinity Road Stand and Doug Ellis Stand, which means the next two seasons would be played in front of three stands.

Concerns over transport links need to be overcome, too, with discussions about whether the money needed from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) — made up of 18 local councils and crucial in enabling the stadium rebuild — would be better served elsewhere.

And there are politics at play: Aston residents are overwhelmingly Labour voters, yet the WMCA is chaired by the Conservative Party.

Explained: Aston Villa's stadium redevelopment plans

Time is ticking and crunch decisions are approaching. The Athletic explains the situation, why the surroundings of Villa Park have become such a thorny issue and what happens next…

‘A stadium that is for more than just football’

Villa Park last underwent major redevelopment from 2000-2001, when a bigger Trinity Road Stand was built from scratch, controversially dismantling the iconic old red brick construction. In the two decades since, there has been an increasing appetite for expansion, accentuated by the need to add 7,400 seats by May 2026 before the UK and Ireland host Euro 2028.

Guidelines from UEFA, which organises the tournament, say the redevelopment has to be trialled for one season before the competition.

The initial hope was to demolish the North Stand following a Foo Fighters concert at Villa Park in June 2024. On March 1 this year, Villa said a “timetable for demolition and rebuilding work” would be announced in the ensuing months “following full consideration of all logistical and economic factors”.

In April 2022, then-chief executive Christian Purslow announced plans to redevelop Villa Park across several phases. As part of Villa’s aim to increase revenue, enabling them to compete among the Premier League’s elite, this included a complete rebuild of the North Stand, formerly known as the Witton End, that would cost roughly £100million ($125m) and provide “a world-class and entertainment venue” known as “Villa Live”.

Villa Park

Villa plan to complete redevelop the North Stand (Paul Thomas/Getty Images)
The venue would serve as an equivalent to Wembley’s Boxpark, which is a casual entertainment and dining area. In December 2022, Villa were granted planning approval from Birmingham City Council.

Two months later, after a review of the proposals, Villa presented plans for ‘phase one’ of the redevelopment during a public consultation.

The chief conduit between Villa and the WMCA was Purslow, who had previously donated to the Conservative Party, including a £50,000 contribution in November 2019.

Villa wanted to create:

A stadium that is for more than just football
A catalyst for local regeneration
An integrated destination for the Midlands
A dynamic public area for the community
A venue to inspire a new generation of football fans.

Villa and the council’s ideals, however, have changed since, and revised plans for Villa Park and its surrounding areas are set to be released before the end of the year.

Inflation has taken hold since initial proposals and, according to sources close to the project who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity, costs have risen by tens of millions. Other problems, such as the lack of transport and on-site parking around the stadium, require further feasibility studies.


Witton station – ‘not fit for purpose’

A key sticking point centres on the local railway station, Witton. Villa Park is only three miles north of the well-connected centre of Birmingham but Witton is not big or efficient enough to withstand the number of fans travelling on matchdays. Aston station, which is a 15-minute walk from the stadium, and buses are options for fans.

Any capacity increase would place an unmanageable strain on local transport, so Villa need the stadium expansion to happen at the same time as Witton’s rebuild.

UEFA’s overall sustainability strategy also indicates that 60 to 80 per cent of match-going supporters go via public transport, and this would not be feasible at Euro 2028 without Witton shouldering a significant chunk of the burden. West Midlands Council, however, is unclear whether the guidelines are compulsory or advisory. UEFA said its sustainability strategy for Euro 2028 has not yet been finalised.

Purslow, speaking this year, described the station as “not fit for purpose”. Any regeneration of Witton station would include a new tunnel under the railway, preventing queuing on the main road. Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, and Purslow met in June 2022, with improvements to Witton the priority.


Witton train station is less than a quarter of a mile from Villa Park (Photo:Jacob Tanswell/The Athletic)
“We need to do a better job of public transport at Villa Park,” Street tells The Athletic. “Given that Villa are increasing their capacity, it makes it even more important. The revised plans don’t change the capacity streams — that part of the plan is fixed.”

A lack of carriages, platforms and general service is more problematic than the facilities at Witton. The city line runs more frequently when Villa Park is in use, but the frequency of matchday trains has dropped from six per hour to four. With Villa’s participation in the Europa Conference League adding more games at night and on Sundays, transport links have become even more problematic.

Feasibility studies have examined extra slots in the timetable for more trains on matchdays, and increasing the capacity of platforms and access routes from Witton to Villa Park.

West Midlands Railway is due to replace the carriages on the line going to Witton next year, increasing capacity, and bringing those plans forward is under consideration.

Rebuilding Witton could cost the council £30m, comparable to what it took to redevelop Perry Barr, another Midlands train station, in 2021 before the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. If the regeneration of Witton is approved, the WMCA is set to fund it.

This summer, Street commissioned a feasibility study to look into the development of the station and transform it, in the mayor’s words, from “ageing and overcrowded” to “modern and spacious”. Birmingham City Council received the initial physical feasibility study in October and is examining the next steps, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.

Observers close to the situation, however, preach caution. There are competing requirements for the money, including from other Birmingham stations — considering how quiet it is when Villa Park is not in use, is Witton worth £30million of investment? Public money is tight and this will be a political decision as much as anything.


Witton has two platforms and gets crowded when Villa are playing (Photo: Jacob Tanswell/The Athletic)
“Poor public transport on matchdays and concerts has been an own goal impacting residents and fans,” said Lee Marsham, a Labour councillor for Birmingham City Council representing Nechells, and a Villa season ticket holder.

“Witton station needs upgrading, but the West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street has only now authorised a study with no guaranteed funding after several years of sitting on the sidelines. Let’s hope it actually results in something, unlike the many delayed transport projects across our region.”

Ubers, parking and ‘not enough bins’

Even now, Villa receive more complaints about transport and footfall than any other issue. With Villa Park stuck on an island surrounded by tightly packed terraced housing, expanding the stadium would have repercussions for the surrounding areas.

One of the purposes of the proposed Villa Live scheme was to keep a percentage of match-going fans around the ground after full time through improved entertainment, catering and bars. This would, theoretically, stagger supporters’ journeys from the ground.

Transport issues started to return when Villa returned to the Premier League in the 2019-20 season and there was an increased demand for tickets. Supporters noticed cars being parked closer to the ground. Parking restrictions have contributed to the rise of supporters using taxis, with Uber drivers cramming around Villa Park and presenting a traffic challenge that did not exist five years ago. Many fans walk away from the stadium for 20 minutes before calling a taxi to get away from the traffic, but that is problematic for those with mobility issues.

To counteract this, Villa intend to speak with residents about controlled parking zones and designated pick-up points for taxis.


Villa’s form has made tickets even more sought-after (Photo: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
One local observer, who did not wish to give their name, described the situation as “carnage” and questioned how severe the problem would exacerbate following a capacity increase. They said the area struggles with the number of bins, which they feel are not sufficient to cover the 40,000-plus spectators descending on a matchday.

Villa are trying to be proactive and are deploying a ‘one per cent’ plan. For instance, if one per cent of the proposed 50,000 supporters went via bus and then another one per cent took another mode of public transport, it would make a marked difference in reducing matchday congestion.

When the original Villa Park planning application was approved, councillors were granted a provision to enable Villa Park to pay for a consultation about extending matchday parking up to three-quarters of a mile outside the stadium. The purpose was to relieve congestion and give breathing space to residents.

Villa also provided additional transport for the final Premier League game of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion in May, with a one-off pre-match shuttle service running from Dudley Street near Birmingham New Street station. Buses attracting 350 fans left every 10 minutes and cost £5, with a five-minute walk from the drop-off to the stadium.

The operation was inspired by Edgbaston’s solution to spectator footfall before and after international cricket fixtures, having deployed a fleet of buses outside Birmingham New Street that drops supporters off at the ground.

“Edgbaston works superbly,” says Street. “However, for something which is once a week for Villa and half of the year, for local people, the train is a much more realistic option.

“The demand is there, so we should have a stadium that fits that status. We want that to happen. The proportion of our fans who travel by public transport to the ground isn’t high enough, so we’ve got to improve that.

“And UEFA has said that it expects 80 per cent of journeys to be taken by public transport. So, this is very important.”


Political wrangling

Euro 2028 would deliver a boost to the local economy but the preparations provide an opportunity for political figures to raise their profiles in the run-up to elections next year.

“Doing this job, you just have to decide to do what’s right,” says Street. “If Birmingham is lucky enough to be a UEFA host, it is appropriate some of the money comes from the government and we put some money in ourselves. It’s all about building the brand of the place.”

Progress has been altered by the departure of Purslow, as well as Villa’s chief operating and commercial officers. This season, Ron Erskine joined as the chief commercial officer, with Ben Hatton becoming chief operating officer.

Chris Heck, president of Villa’s business operations, plans to be actively involved in discussions, given the North Stand will be demolished and thousands of season ticket holders will have to move seats for two seasons. Ticket availability will be very limited for fans without season tickets.

With Villa Park sitting between a Conservative West Midlands mayor and a Labour city-run council that will also need to give planning permission, Witton and the stadium redevelopment cross political borders.

The multitude of factors to consider highlights the complexity of working decisively to grow Villa Park and its surrounding areas.

The bit in bold. Cnut.

Edit: from here https://theathletic.com/4859473/2023/11/21/rebuilding-villa-park/

[astonvilla82]

Aston Villa’s long-term plan to build a 50,000-seat Villa Park is complex.

Vested interests are evident and time is pressing since Villa Park was named a host ground for the 2028 European Championship.

The proposal is to knock down the North Stand, wrapping it with the neighbouring Trinity Road Stand and Doug Ellis Stand, which means the next two seasons would be played in front of three stands.

Concerns over transport links need to be overcome, too, with discussions about whether the money needed from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) — made up of 18 local councils and crucial in enabling the stadium rebuild — would be better served elsewhere.

And there are politics at play: Aston residents are overwhelmingly Labour voters, yet the WMCA is chaired by the Conservative Party.

Explained: Aston Villa's stadium redevelopment plans

Time is ticking and crunch decisions are approaching. The Athletic explains the situation, why the surroundings of Villa Park have become such a thorny issue and what happens next…

‘A stadium that is for more than just football’

Villa Park last underwent major redevelopment from 2000-2001, when a bigger Trinity Road Stand was built from scratch, controversially dismantling the iconic old red brick construction. In the two decades since, there has been an increasing appetite for expansion, accentuated by the need to add 7,400 seats by May 2026 before the UK and Ireland host Euro 2028.

Guidelines from UEFA, which organises the tournament, say the redevelopment has to be trialled for one season before the competition.

The initial hope was to demolish the North Stand following a Foo Fighters concert at Villa Park in June 2024. On March 1 this year, Villa said a “timetable for demolition and rebuilding work” would be announced in the ensuing months “following full consideration of all logistical and economic factors”.

In April 2022, then-chief executive Christian Purslow announced plans to redevelop Villa Park across several phases. As part of Villa’s aim to increase revenue, enabling them to compete among the Premier League’s elite, this included a complete rebuild of the North Stand, formerly known as the Witton End, that would cost roughly £100million ($125m) and provide “a world-class and entertainment venue” known as “Villa Live”.

Villa Park

Villa plan to complete redevelop the North Stand (Paul Thomas/Getty Images)
The venue would serve as an equivalent to Wembley’s Boxpark, which is a casual entertainment and dining area. In December 2022, Villa were granted planning approval from Birmingham City Council.

Two months later, after a review of the proposals, Villa presented plans for ‘phase one’ of the redevelopment during a public consultation.

The chief conduit between Villa and the WMCA was Purslow, who had previously donated to the Conservative Party, including a £50,000 contribution in November 2019.

Villa wanted to create:

A stadium that is for more than just football
A catalyst for local regeneration
An integrated destination for the Midlands
A dynamic public area for the community
A venue to inspire a new generation of football fans.

Villa and the council’s ideals, however, have changed since, and revised plans for Villa Park and its surrounding areas are set to be released before the end of the year.

Inflation has taken hold since initial proposals and, according to sources close to the project who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity, costs have risen by tens of millions. Other problems, such as the lack of transport and on-site parking around the stadium, require further feasibility studies.


Witton station – ‘not fit for purpose’

A key sticking point centres on the local railway station, Witton. Villa Park is only three miles north of the well-connected centre of Birmingham but Witton is not big or efficient enough to withstand the number of fans travelling on matchdays. Aston station, which is a 15-minute walk from the stadium, and buses are options for fans.

Any capacity increase would place an unmanageable strain on local transport, so Villa need the stadium expansion to happen at the same time as Witton’s rebuild.

UEFA’s overall sustainability strategy also indicates that 60 to 80 per cent of match-going supporters go via public transport, and this would not be feasible at Euro 2028 without Witton shouldering a significant chunk of the burden. West Midlands Council, however, is unclear whether the guidelines are compulsory or advisory. UEFA said its sustainability strategy for Euro 2028 has not yet been finalised.

Purslow, speaking this year, described the station as “not fit for purpose”. Any regeneration of Witton station would include a new tunnel under the railway, preventing queuing on the main road. Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, and Purslow met in June 2022, with improvements to Witton the priority.


Witton train station is less than a quarter of a mile from Villa Park (Photo:Jacob Tanswell/The Athletic)
“We need to do a better job of public transport at Villa Park,” Street tells The Athletic. “Given that Villa are increasing their capacity, it makes it even more important. The revised plans don’t change the capacity streams — that part of the plan is fixed.”

A lack of carriages, platforms and general service is more problematic than the facilities at Witton. The city line runs more frequently when Villa Park is in use, but the frequency of matchday trains has dropped from six per hour to four. With Villa’s participation in the Europa Conference League adding more games at night and on Sundays, transport links have become even more problematic.

Feasibility studies have examined extra slots in the timetable for more trains on matchdays, and increasing the capacity of platforms and access routes from Witton to Villa Park.

West Midlands Railway is due to replace the carriages on the line going to Witton next year, increasing capacity, and bringing those plans forward is under consideration.

Rebuilding Witton could cost the council £30m, comparable to what it took to redevelop Perry Barr, another Midlands train station, in 2021 before the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. If the regeneration of Witton is approved, the WMCA is set to fund it.

This summer, Street commissioned a feasibility study to look into the development of the station and transform it, in the mayor’s words, from “ageing and overcrowded” to “modern and spacious”. Birmingham City Council received the initial physical feasibility study in October and is examining the next steps, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.

Observers close to the situation, however, preach caution. There are competing requirements for the money, including from other Birmingham stations — considering how quiet it is when Villa Park is not in use, is Witton worth £30million of investment? Public money is tight and this will be a political decision as much as anything.


Witton has two platforms and gets crowded when Villa are playing (Photo: Jacob Tanswell/The Athletic)
“Poor public transport on matchdays and concerts has been an own goal impacting residents and fans,” said Lee Marsham, a Labour councillor for Birmingham City Council representing Nechells, and a Villa season ticket holder.

“Witton station needs upgrading, but the West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street has only now authorised a study with no guaranteed funding after several years of sitting on the sidelines. Let’s hope it actually results in something, unlike the many delayed transport projects across our region.”

Ubers, parking and ‘not enough bins’

Even now, Villa receive more complaints about transport and footfall than any other issue. With Villa Park stuck on an island surrounded by tightly packed terraced housing, expanding the stadium would have repercussions for the surrounding areas.

One of the purposes of the proposed Villa Live scheme was to keep a percentage of match-going fans around the ground after full time through improved entertainment, catering and bars. This would, theoretically, stagger supporters’ journeys from the ground.

Transport issues started to return when Villa returned to the Premier League in the 2019-20 season and there was an increased demand for tickets. Supporters noticed cars being parked closer to the ground. Parking restrictions have contributed to the rise of supporters using taxis, with Uber drivers cramming around Villa Park and presenting a traffic challenge that did not exist five years ago. Many fans walk away from the stadium for 20 minutes before calling a taxi to get away from the traffic, but that is problematic for those with mobility issues.

To counteract this, Villa intend to speak with residents about controlled parking zones and designated pick-up points for taxis.


Villa’s form has made tickets even more sought-after (Photo: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
One local observer, who did not wish to give their name, described the situation as “carnage” and questioned how severe the problem would exacerbate following a capacity increase. They said the area struggles with the number of bins, which they feel are not sufficient to cover the 40,000-plus spectators descending on a matchday.

Villa are trying to be proactive and are deploying a ‘one per cent’ plan. For instance, if one per cent of the proposed 50,000 supporters went via bus and then another one per cent took another mode of public transport, it would make a marked difference in reducing matchday congestion.

When the original Villa Park planning application was approved, councillors were granted a provision to enable Villa Park to pay for a consultation about extending matchday parking up to three-quarters of a mile outside the stadium. The purpose was to relieve congestion and give breathing space to residents.

Villa also provided additional transport for the final Premier League game of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion in May, with a one-off pre-match shuttle service running from Dudley Street near Birmingham New Street station. Buses attracting 350 fans left every 10 minutes and cost £5, with a five-minute walk from the drop-off to the stadium.

The operation was inspired by Edgbaston’s solution to spectator footfall before and after international cricket fixtures, having deployed a fleet of buses outside Birmingham New Street that drops supporters off at the ground.

“Edgbaston works superbly,” says Street. “However, for something which is once a week for Villa and half of the year, for local people, the train is a much more realistic option.

“The demand is there, so we should have a stadium that fits that status. We want that to happen. The proportion of our fans who travel by public transport to the ground isn’t high enough, so we’ve got to improve that.

“And UEFA has said that it expects 80 per cent of journeys to be taken by public transport. So, this is very important.”


Political wrangling

Euro 2028 would deliver a boost to the local economy but the preparations provide an opportunity for political figures to raise their profiles in the run-up to elections next year.

“Doing this job, you just have to decide to do what’s right,” says Street. “If Birmingham is lucky enough to be a UEFA host, it is appropriate some of the money comes from the government and we put some money in ourselves. It’s all about building the brand of the place.”

Progress has been altered by the departure of Purslow, as well as Villa’s chief operating and commercial officers. This season, Ron Erskine joined as the chief commercial officer, with Ben Hatton becoming chief operating officer.

Chris Heck, president of Villa’s business operations, plans to be actively involved in discussions, given the North Stand will be demolished and thousands of season ticket holders will have to move seats for two seasons. Ticket availability will be very limited for fans without season tickets.

With Villa Park sitting between a Conservative West Midlands mayor and a Labour city-run council that will also need to give planning permission, Witton and the stadium redevelopment cross political borders.

The multitude of factors to consider highlights the complexity of working decisively to grow Villa Park and its surrounding areas.

The bit in bold. Cnut.

Edit: from here https://theathletic.com/4859473/2023/11/21/rebuilding-villa-park/

Wouldn't surprise me if a lot of our support voted conservative at the last election

[DeKuip]

That’s possibly the scariest sentence I’ve ever read on here!

[Sexual Ealing]

There's voting, and there's donating.

[AV82EC]

Well bearing in mind I’d assume that Villa fans are probably generally a cross section of society  I’d be surprised if they didn’t.

[astonvilla82]

There's voting, and there's donating.

I have more of a problem with people voting conservative

[Sexual Ealing]

Well that's mental, but good for you!

[VILLA MOLE]

bet they all go in the Lower grounds the splitters

[Ads]

I have more of a problem with people quoting massive posts for no particular reason.

[coreyfeldman]

I have more of a problem with people quoting massive posts for no particular reason.

Amen brother

[Bad English]

I have more of a problem with people quoting massive posts for no particular reason.

Yours is tiny so I am quoting it to say.'This™:

[Drummond]

I have more of a problem with people quoting massive posts for no particular reason.

Yours is tiny so I am quoting it to say.'This™:

Discuss

[Kevin Dawson]

There's voting, and there's donating.

I have more of a problem with people voting conservative

I don't. I may disagree with them, but I respect their right to choose. As much as I want them to lose the next election, I don't want to see a landslide. Effective opposition holds the government to account.

[Drummond]

There's voting, and there's donating.

I have more of a problem with people voting conservative

I don't. I may disagree with them, but I respect their right to choose. As much as I want them to lose the next election, I don't want to see a landslide. Effective opposition holds the government to account.

Ah, the problem there is the word 'effective'.