It’s interesting that the club hasn’t identified the consultant team that it's working with. Purslow’s interview looks like it's being conducted in an architect’s meeting room. I genuinely don’t know which architect this belongs to, but my guess would be Grimshaw, based on the high-tech shelving in the background, and the model on the shelving, which looks like a cross section through the Waterloo Eurostar terminal. My opinion has always been that the club should appoint better quality consultants, and take their advice, rather than try to micro-manage the process like Doug did in the past. Whether or not you like their work, Grimshaw are a solid, high-quality practice. The club have been engaging with BCC and WMRA. They’ve probably already had most of their pre-app engagement with the LPA, giving them enough confidence to put the scheme into the public domain. Consultation material is normally made to look less resolved than the design actually is, to imply flexibility, and avoid things looking fixed. If the images are a bit generic, there are less specifics for people to complain about. The cross section through the new stand is the only image rendered from CAD. The others are all hand sketches traced from the CAD model. I’d guess that the design isn’t going to change much from what is shown in that cross section, as there simply isn’t enough time before a late summer planning submission to do otherwise. Based on this it looks as though the rear of the stand (including the entire upper tier) could be built before demolishing the existing stand, like Liverpool are currently doing with the Anfield Road End. 7,400 additional seats are mentioned, making an overall capacity of over 50,000, with a long-term aim for close to 60,000. I’m not entirely clear on current capacities, but I think the new stand would be about 14,500 seats, making the entire ground about 50,200. I’m a little underwhelmed, as I was (perhaps unrealistically) hoping that the long-term aim would be to exceed West Ham, Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool etc. The new Witton End stand is the best opportunity to significantly increase capacity due to the relative lack of constraints. The Anfield Road End will apparently be about 16,000. I’m not aware of all of the issues, but these extra 1,500 seats might have made a long-term aim for above 60,000 possible.Dealing with the public realm between the ground and the Brookvale Academy looks positive, creating more of a campus. There seems to be a sensible attempt to align the rear of the new stand with Station Road, which might be a limitation on the capacity. The Aston Live concept seems like a really good idea. I’m almost wondering if it is big enough though? If not, perhaps it can be enlarged later subject to demand.
Quote from: Pat Mustard on June 28, 2022, 01:04:42 PMGetting more events staged at Villa Park is surely one of the considerations - more concerts, Europa League final, international matches will all give us a big revenue boost given we don't really do any of these at the moment. The Villa Live venue will be important too - can see it being used for things like Darts and Snooker, these already take place in the exhibition hall at whatever Coventry/Wasps ground is called now.I already hate that name "Villa Live" it just seems so naff. Aston Arena? The Saunders Suite?
Getting more events staged at Villa Park is surely one of the considerations - more concerts, Europa League final, international matches will all give us a big revenue boost given we don't really do any of these at the moment. The Villa Live venue will be important too - can see it being used for things like Darts and Snooker, these already take place in the exhibition hall at whatever Coventry/Wasps ground is called now.
I already hate that name "Villa Live" it just seems so naff. Aston Arena? The Saunders Suite?
I'm just sad they haven't gone with tradition and factored in a Granada Bingo hall behind the stand.
Quote from: Des Little on June 29, 2022, 10:13:12 AMI'm just sad they haven't gone with tradition and factored in a Granada Bingo hall behind the stand.They should have incorporated the old bowling green and aquarium too.
Villa Live is a bit Sky Sports News shouty.
I've no problem with the name Villa Live tbh. It's not a massive own goal at all, who gives a fuck what Blues fans may call it?