Premier League outfit had initially proposed full rebuild under plans first revealed nearly three years ago
Aston Villa has begun the hunt for a contractor to expand the North Stand at Villa Park which will take capacity above 50,000.
The club, which has revealed new images of the proposals, unveiled plans for the redevelopment back in August 2022 when a full rebuild was initially planned at a cost of around 拢100m.
But the club has since decided it wants to maintain Villa Park鈥檚 matchday capacity of just over 42,500 while the work is being carried out.
It said: 鈥淭hrough a robust design process, Aston Villa has found a way to adapt and modernise the existing structure of the North Stand without losing any seats during the season. With disruption to current fans mitigated, Aston Villa is able to move forward with the planning process.鈥�
It added it would submit an update planning application for the job with Birmingham city council next month. The scheme, designed by Grimshaw, first got the green light in October 2023.
And the Premier League club told 精东影视: 鈥淭he club has started the tendering process with contractors for the required enabling works as well as the main construction package for the project.鈥�
Work has been stalled because of issues around the redevelopment of a nearby railway station despite the plans.
This year鈥檚 Champions League quarter finalists said: 鈥淭he club has always been clear that increases to the capacity of the stadium must be done in tandem with improvements to the local transport network. Since the expansion plans were announced in 2022, Mayor Richard Parker has committed in his campaign manifesto to rebuild Witton station.鈥�
But Parker has pledged to make the required upgrades meaning the club is now pressing on with the redevelopment.
It said the plans promised by the mayor, which include larger and safer queuing systems, would help the station double the current passenger handling capability of the station to 10,000 passengers per matchday.
The wider project team for the Villa Park expansion includes cost consultant Core Five, town planning and transport consultant WSP, structural engineer David Smith Associates and MEP engineer ME Engineers.
The club has said that it wants the work completed in the second half of 2027 ahead of Villa Park hosting Euro 2028 matches the following summer.
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