Leading engineering and environmental professional services consultancy WSP provided multi-disciplinary support to Aston Villa Football Club as part of its successful planning application to redevelop Villa Park.
Birmingham City Council granted planning permission for the first phase of the Aston Villa’s redevelopment and expansion of Villa Park on Thursday 22 December, with the project set to increase the stadium’s capacity to over 50,000.
Phase 1 includes a brand-new North Stand, enhancements to the existing Trinity Stand and the creation of Villa Live, a new, 6,500 sqm multi-purpose commercial destination to replace the existing shop, academy building and security lodge.
Over 7,000 sqm of new public realm surrounding the stadium’s Witton Lane entrance will also be created, significantly improving accessibility, biodiversity, safety and the overall experience for fans, visitors and the local community.
Nine WSP specialisms supported Aston Villa on its successful plans, led by the firm’s Planning Consultancy team. The specialist teams included Town Planning, Transport, Community Engagement, Crowd Modelling, Flooding / Drainage, Security Strategy and Fire.
As part of the redevelopment, sustainable technologies will be deployed in the new North Stand and Villa Live, including solar panels, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), rainwater harvesting and green roofs. Improved transport management in the area around the stadium will include improved off-street off-site car parking and better parking enforcement on neighbouring residential streets, and other services to encourage sustainable modes of travel.
Once operational, the redevelopment of Villa Park will contribute nearly £120m to the regional economy each year, creating hundreds of jobs during and post-construction, and attract 1.65m visitors to the local area annually.
Aaron Peate, Project Director in WSP’s Planning Consultancy, said: “As one of the most successful clubs in English football, Aston Villa’s heritage is an intrinsic contributor to the regional community. The plans for Villa Park will bring it back onto the world stage and provide fans and visitors with an enhanced experience of this historic stadium, whilst also creating local jobs and economic value within the West Midlands. We’re proud to be working on this project and are excited to see the project take shape.”
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