Villa Park Redevelopment

[VillaTim]

Confirmation in effect we aren't leaving B6 , which is excellent news

Short term yep, but long term this raises more doubts/questions.

Short term - 20 years that's fine . Mid to longer term we may move , a lot will depend on where the sport goes

[The Edge]

It is pretty clear from these plans that the North Stand is going nowhere any time soon, so I wonder if they might at least do something with the facade?

It's one thing sprucing up the area behind and it creating an, ahem *checks notes* world class social and sporting venue there, but how about a bit of a spruce up? It looks, from the back, like something that wouldn't have got planning in Ceaucescu's Romania.

I'm posting this and not for the first time as a possible solution. I've worked in construction for years occasionally on big renovation projects. I believe there is a quicker solution to NS issues that wouldn't require too much demolition. It could be widened using a steel frame construction which could be partially done while keeping the NS open. At the end of say 2025/26 they could remove the existing "goalpost" design roof then finish the framework and attach the steel frame corners to the current NS upper then put a cantilever roof over the whole thing. The piling could also be done in preparation for the new roof. Much quicker than bulldozing a whole stand and starting from scratch. I'm pretty sure Man U did similar when they attached the corners at the Stretford end. I do admit I'm a humble sparky not an architect but from my experience I do think it's possible.

Hmm.. steel frame - that should hold.

You do know most (all) stands are steel frames with concrete slabs don't you? Next time your walking under the Trinity Rd have a look at what's holding it up.

Ha sorry - it was a joke. I know nothing about construction and was just trying to do the sage nod to say “yeah I’d of done it like that”.  Like when my brother in law who’s a builder explains how he’s approached a complex job - and I make sounds that are meant to indicate that’s what I would have done.  Even though I have no fucking idea

Ahh lol. Fair enough mate.

[VillaTim]

Rather than denigrate the NS we should embrace its uniqueness and distinct brutalist architecture. Yes it can be extended aswell and it would be more carbon and wallet  friendly to do that than wholesale demolition.
The bigger challenge is the Witton Lane stand which is flawed in the upper section and is constrained by the road . That is the biggest issue in terms of ground expansion .

[pauliewalnuts]

Rather than denigrate the NS we should embrace its uniqueness and distinct brutalist architecture. Yes it can be extended aswell and it would be more carbon and wallet  friendly to do that than wholesale demolition.
The bigger challenge is the Witton Lane stand which is flawed in the upper section.

You don't know it can be extended, though, Tim, do you?

It's also not even brutalist. Being made of concrete does not automatically equal brutalist. It's made of concrete and steel, like all the other stands in the ground.

[cdbearsfan]

The problem is that the North Stand fans tend to be our most spoiled and middle class. Would it really kill them to sit on some bricks for a season or two while it gets rebuilt? Heck could sell branded hard hats in the club shop.

[LeeB]

It is pretty clear from these plans that the North Stand is going nowhere any time soon, so I wonder if they might at least do something with the facade?

It's one thing sprucing up the area behind and it creating an, ahem *checks notes* world class social and sporting venue there, but how about a bit of a spruce up? It looks, from the back, like something that wouldn't have got planning in Ceaucescu's Romania.

As someone that has to use the bloody thing on a game by game basis can I ask that before anything is done to 'the facade', could they please find lose a couple of poxy parking spaces and level the appraoch to the stand so thousands are not forced to squeeze onto a ledge whilst trying to navigate the useless turnstiles?

[Villan82]

It is pretty clear from these plans that the North Stand is going nowhere any time soon, so I wonder if they might at least do something with the facade?

It's one thing sprucing up the area behind and it creating an, ahem *checks notes* world class social and sporting venue there, but how about a bit of a spruce up? It looks, from the back, like something that wouldn't have got planning in Ceaucescu's Romania.

It looks like they recently deleted the 'flythrough' video they put up in December 2022 showing off the new stand. The 'bondibot' copy is still up but the Villa TV one seems to be gone. We began the decade with grand plans and will end it the same way we came into the 00s.

[Pat Mustard]

This will be it now until 2030 at the earliest, by which time I suspect we'll have either been getting a few years buttering us up for a move, or else the club will be doing deals to buy up the required land behind Witton Lane and down as far as the Academy to do a wholesale redevelopment.

[VillaTim]

Who cares what the facade looks like , this isn't the RIBA awards and a fancy facade doesn't score goals or assist . Ironically the brutalist nature of the current design may one day win an award or at least gain some recognition.

[Drummond]

Like one of those kids that just says 'Why?' over and over and over again...

[IFWaters]

You wouldn't do all the landscaping if you had any plans to work on the stand. It's rather like fitting a carpet before you plaster the walls. Based on that I'd say Villa Park expansion is dead. Time to lock the thread?

[Billy Walker]

You wouldn't do all the landscaping if you had any plans to work on the stand. It's rather like fitting a carpet before you plaster the walls. Based on that I'd say Villa Park expansion is dead. Time to lock the thread?

I might be wrong, but isn't the landscaping focused solely in the zone outlined in the video? If so, that would leave the North Stand as a separate "zone" to possibly be redeveloped?  I'm no engineer/architect/builder so ignore me if I'm talking nonsense.

[Des Little]

It’s absurd, given the way that the game and industry has evolved since 1992, that we still have a stand that is getting close to 50 years old, with only slight modifications made in all that time. It’s simply a turd that won’t flush, or at least we seem happy to leave it floating.

[ez]

There can't be many premier league grounds that still have seats bolted onto an old standing terrace.