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Villa unveils plans to increase stadium capacity to 50,000

Premier League football club Aston Villa has unveiled plans to expand the capacity of Villa Park to over 50,000.

The expansion plans would centre on a new North Stand and would also include upgrading and expanding the club’s hospitality facilities. Villa Park currently seats around 42,000 fans.

Villa also said it plans on creating an “entirely new venue” to bring its retail, merchandising and other entertainment activities into the 21st century. The capacity increase for Villa Park would be achieved upon completion of the first phase of the project.

Villa said the expansion would enhance the match-day experience for fans, with the club set to embark on a full public consultation with all stakeholders over the coming months to help shape the planning application.

Villa has appointed a full multi-disciplinary design and engineering team to develop finalised designs and plans in time to submit a planning application this summer.

Villa announced the plans yesterday (Wednesday) to coincide with the release of its financial results for the year ending May 31, 2021.

Villa’s improved placing in the Premier League – 11th, compared to 17th in the previous season – helped the club’s turnover grow from £112.6m (€136m/$150.7m) to £183.6m.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic cost the club an estimated £36.6m, primarily due to the loss of match-day revenue and rebates of Premier League broadcasting funding. Villa’s losses nevertheless fell to £37.3m, compared to £99.5m in the previous year.

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