Villa Park Redevelopment

[Dante Lavelli]

This image suggests there’s a decent chunk of new build with some retained facades, which given their architectural merit could easily be rebuilt:

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/december/18/North-Grounds-development-plans-announced/

[eamonn]

Yeah, I noticed the same from the camera footage above VP during the TV coverage pre-Chelsea.

[Border villan]

At the Chelsea match I noticed a large scaffold structure behind the North stand and all the “advertising etc. removed from the stand.

[Somniloquism]

It was a precaution if Nicolas Jackson was judged fit to start as they would need to retrieve the balls from the roof.

[Gareth]

It was a precaution if Nicolas Jackson was judged fit to start as they would need to retrieve the balls from the roof.

Haha…at least it wasn’t left over from midweek in case Nunez had a shot at the Holte End goal

[Villan82]

It's funny how the comms strategy went from being really upfront about everything - Grealish sale, buying the replacements, plans for a new stand - to basic radio silence and spin.

As of now they officially have no plans to touch any stand but our eyes tell us they are doing something. Maybe it's a case of sticking some cladding on the stand but it would be nice to know. It is our home and as this thread shows the stadium is just about one of the most important things fans of the club are invested in

[Drummond]

Maybe they don't know yet. Maybe they are scoping it out, seeing what's what. Perhaps they will announce it when it's nearly done.

It doesn't materially matter right now.

[Brazilian Villain]

Maybe they don't know yet. Maybe they are scoping it out, seeing what's what. Perhaps they will announce it when it's nearly done.

It doesn't materially matter right now.

Yeah, I'd rather 3 points tonight than an announcement about some minor work being done on the stadium.

[pauliewalnuts]

As of now they officially have no plans to touch any stand but our eyes tell us they are doing something. Maybe it's a case of sticking some cladding on the stand but it would be nice to know. It is our home and as this thread shows the stadium is just about one of the most important things fans of the club are invested in

Why would they feel the need to update us on that, though? The fact they're doing what seems like some exploratory work?

And tbh even then, it's there for everyone to see already?

[DB]

Do we know it’s only minor changes, are they expanding the width of the upper tier for example.

[jon collett]

They said in 23 they were going to engage consultants to see what seats could be added in the existing stadium bowl. I think it was claimed they might be able to get capacity to 50k in time for the Euros.

I always thought it virtually impossible because of the goalpost design.

So my thoughts would be that this is exploratory works to look at the structure of the stand and given the upheaval with the warehouse and the summer concerts they would probably start any real work on a rebuild (not a new build) in summer of 26.

[Pat Mustard]

If it is about filling in the corners and expanding backwards, then work wouldn't necessarily be limited to starting in summer 2026 - they could get it underway after this summer's concerts, assuming any development is covered by the planning permission already in place.  It certainly feels like something bigger is happening than just a reclad, and the radio silence approach is just how the club operate under Heck - nothing will be publicised until it's a done deal (although apropos of nothing, from the fanzone on Saturday we did see Heck walk past with someone, and he was pointing directly and gesturing at the gap between the Trinity and North Stands as he was talking).

[Hookeysmith]

With the Bull Ring store showing that we’re all about increasing turnover regardless of profit & loss, one would imagine that a hotel might be a go-er. Might be an idea for the club to snap up the Majestic and Aston Hotel as well to go along with The Warehouse.

They have approached both and the local housing along the side of Witton lane.

Majestic is privately owned and a listed building so limited to what they can do building wise and Aston Hotel is a HMO.

I was told that Randy tried to buy the houses and was told it was 5 times the going rate to get them to move.

[Hookeysmith]

And the majority of work being conducted on the ends of the North stand are repairs due to recent storm damage. This is what i was told when i asked.

However they are also looking at other options to improve capacity across all the stadium.

[wince]

This morning looked like they were building a stage or a unit or something in the corner of Trinity/NS. Loads of builders out and about and it looked dodgy getting a photo but will try later.