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Plans approved for new Verona stadium

The Municipality of Verona has approved the proposed plan for a new stadium in the Italian city.

The city council will now discuss the needs of residents and nearby redevelopment work.

The 27,000-seat stadium would replace the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi (pictured), home to Serie A football team Hellas Verona and Serie B outfit Chievo Verona. The new stadium has been backed by Hellas but not by Chievo.

Mayor of Verona Federico Sboarina said: “We have completed the process for the public interest declaration of the project. All the opinions gathered as required by law at this stage are favourable.”

Sboarina added: “Some points included in the declaration are very clear: the new stadium is an opportunity for a great redevelopment of the entire neighbourhood with the creation of a large park and the elimination of the (problems) that exist today, including the wild car park. The project is at no cost to the Veronese because if there are public funds to spend they must be used to build schools, kindergartens and roads.”

The administrative procedure is expected to last a year, with the construction work to last at least two years. The project is expected to cost around €121m (£104m/$134m).

Image: El passs