Villa Park Redevelopment

[tomd2103]

Have the club ever surveyed how people get to and from games? Would be useful to know as a starting point. Much as people want more trains laid on I would think that's one of the hardest to do as train economics are in decline since COVID, less people using them.

Perhaps the club will have to sort this out running a match day fleet of buses for the first couple of miles away from VP. 50 buses running back and forth for the first couple of miles away from the ground to other transport hubs and parking could help as could making the ground a better place to stay for a while afterwards.

Probably missed a trick with the Commonwealth Games and developing some kind of park and ride facility at the Alexander Stadium.  . 

[Percy McCarthy]

I’d love us to be a bit closer to the city centre so we could all drink in/walk from town. Isn’t there room in the Gun Quarter?

As for where we are, it would be great if there were no houses between Witton Lane and the new academy/railway line. We could probably go as high as 70,000 then.

[Lsvilla]

I’d love us to be a bit closer to the city centre so we could all drink in/walk from town. Isn’t there room in the Gun Quarter?

As for where we are, it would be great if there were no houses between Witton Lane and the new academy/railway line. We could probably go as high as 70,000 then.

This is the kind of thinking we need. Why aim for 50k - that should be the absolute start and keep on building. We'd fill it for sure.

[PeterWithesShin]

This is what we need, one million capacity.

[Axl Rose]

This is what we need, one million capacity.

Built especially for those who've been to Bruges

[PeterWithesShin]

Capacity: 1,000,000
Attendance v Crewe in the LC 3rd round: 642,258

A post on here an hour later
"it's a disgrace!"

[Brazilian Villain]

I’d love us to be a bit closer to the city centre so we could all drink in/walk from town. Isn’t there room in the Gun Quarter?

As for where we are, it would be great if there were no houses between Witton Lane and the new academy/railway line. We could probably go as high as 70,000 then.

This is the kind of thinking we need. Why aim for 50k - that should be the absolute start and keep on building. We'd fill it for sure.

Depends on whether we keep the round badge.

[pauliewalnuts]

part of the trouble is, like many football grounds, it's in the middle of a shit hole.

It's really not.

Ha ha, really?

Come on, let's be honest, Aston is a deprived, ropey as fuck area.

[Pat Mustard]

part of the trouble is, like many football grounds, it's in the middle of a shit hole.

It's really not.

Ha ha, really?

Come on, let's be honest, Aston is a deprived, ropey as fuck area.

No arguing that Aston is deprived, but it's also reductive to just call it a shit-hole.  Our ground is overlooked by a stately home, and Aston itself has lots of the best examples of Victorian architecture still standing in the city.  It's also a place where thousands of people are employed and literally 5 minutes up the road in Perry Barr is one of the biggest regeneration schemes in the country.  The redevelopment of Villa Park should be an anchor for improving the whole area.

[Drummond]

part of the trouble is, like many football grounds, it's in the middle of a shit hole.

It's really not.

Ha ha, really?

Come on, let's be honest, Aston is a deprived, ropey as fuck area.

No arguing that Aston is deprived, but it's also reductive to just call it a shit-hole.  Our ground is overlooked by a stately home, and Aston itself has lots of the best examples of Victorian architecture still standing in the city.  It's also a place where thousands of people are employed and literally 5 minutes up the road in Perry Barr is one of the biggest regeneration schemes in the country.  The redevelopment of Villa Park should be an anchor for improving the whole area.

Yes, this.

I think calling it a shithole is just being rude.

People live there, it's a deprived part of the city and needs investment. I'm not surprised the local community didn't object to our planning application because it's sympathetic to the need of the community and will help to improve it.

Sometimes people need help to improve a community, not to be stigmatised.

[Chico Hamilton III]

part of the trouble is, like many football grounds, it's in the middle of a shit hole.

Serious investment in the area and a some genuine support from forward thinking politicians could turn things around. Also, there may be posters on here who live nearby so not the most diplomatic of posts.
I notice from your location that you’re in an area (just down the road from me) that only a few years ago was a total shithole but now enjoys “up and coming” status. So, things can change.

[Percy McCarthy]

part of the trouble is, like many football grounds, it's in the middle of a shit hole.

Serious investment in the area and a some genuine support from forward thinking politicians could turn things around. Also, there may be posters on here who live nearby so not the most diplomatic of posts.
I notice from your location that you’re in an area (just down the road from me) that only a few years ago was a total shithole but now enjoys “up and coming” status. So, things can change.

Yes, there is a £2.2 billion investment plan for Ladywood between now and 2040. Imagine that involving stakeholders like Aston Villa,  Tesco, Aston University and other local employers. City Centre connectivity is the key, as it is for all inner-city Birmingham. Undoing the damage of the concrete collar.

[paul_e]

I get that the term shithole feels bad but lets not sugar-coat things too much, Ladywood is the 7th most deprived constituency in the country and this part of the city (East Birmingham) also contains Erdington in 5th and Hodge Hill in 2nd. There are fundamental problems that need to be solved with massive centralised investment that seems to be continuously blocked (in Erdington in particular I'm half-convinced it's on purpose to try and steal the seat, the local tory councillor is constantly blaming the local MP for the lack of funding).

As percy says there is the start of some investment coming through now and connectivity/transport needs to be a big part of that. Even if the club weren't doing anything the transport links to Aston/Witton need to be improved and that needs to be centrally funded. This government (and many before it) has consistently found huge pots of money to get rich people across London quickly and easily, now it needs to show a willingness to do the same for areas that have been in decline for a generation or longer.

[ChicagoLion]

And now HS2 has been frozen, imagine what a small part of that money could do for the transport infrastructure of Birmingham.

[Percy McCarthy]

And now HS2 has been frozen, imagine what a small part of that money could do for the transport infrastructure of Birmingham.

Has HS2 been frozen? Seeing plenty of work going on round here. Would be a disaster for Brum to halt things now anyway.