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SC Cambuur updates plans for new stadium

Dutch Eredivisie football club SC Cambuur has revised plans for its new stadium as it seeks to address rising construction costs.

The Leeuwarden-based club has played at the 10,500-capacity Cambuurstadion since 1936, but is seeking to develop the new 15,000-capacity Cambuur Stadion.

While news has been relatively quiet around the project of late, a meeting was held this week at which construction partner Van Wijnen, the Municipality of Leeuwarden and SC Cambuur unveiled a number of adjustments to the design of the stadium, adding that the environmental permit will be applied for on October 22.

While making the adjustments, the three parties stressed the cutbacks have not been at the expense of the comfort and functionality of the stadium and, in addition, the principles of the project have remained intact. The urban development plan, the development plan and the zoning plan remain unchanged.

Indeed, the main design change, in an effort to shave €2.8m (£2.37m/$3.25m) from the budget, has been to forgo an all-encompassing roof in favour of each grandstand receiving its own separate roof.

“You weren’t 100% dry with the (original) roof either,” said Cambuur director Ard de Graaf, according to broadcaster Omrop Fryslân. “That has now become completely open and exposed. This makes the stands look better, the football purist would say. It is starting to look more like a football stadium. Every disadvantage has its advantage in this case.”

Construction work on the project is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2022. The new Cambuur Stadion has been set a targeted opening of the summer of 2023.

Image: SC Cambuur