Aston Villa Football Club has set out new plans to refurbish and expand the North Stand at its stadium in Birmingham, after the local mayor committed to key transport improvements.
The redevelopment, which had previously been granted planning permission, will increase the seats in the stand to over 12,000, with total capacity at Villa Park rising to more than 50,000 after other stadium improvement work.
The stadium renovation will be completed in H2 2027, ahead of the UEFA Euro 2028 tournament that Villa Park will be a host venue for.
Villa will adapt and reuse the existing North Stand structure for the expansion, meaning stadium capacity will not decrease at any time during construction. Previously, it had proposed a full rebuild of the North Stand.
The club had called for improvements to the local transport network, alongside the stadium improvement work. Since the expansion plans were announced in 2022, new West Midlands mayor Richard Parker has committed to rebuild Witton Station.
‘Important milestone’
Nassef Sawiris, executive chairman of Aston Villa, said: “Thanks to the mayor’s commitment to develop Witton Station and to improve local transport links, this project will mark an important milestone in the club’s journey to becoming a world-class sports and entertainment venue.
“A bigger, better North Stand will not only allow many more Villans to see their team in person, improving matchday experience, but will also dramatically improve the club’s ability to invest and compete in the long term.”
Parker added: “We have been working closely with the club, Network Rail and other partners to ensure the necessary improvements at Witton Station will be made in time for the Euros in 2028. I am fully committed to securing upgrades, including safer queuing systems, new passenger shelters, a new footbridge and higher-capacity services, so we can double the station’s handling capacity and deliver a world-class experience for fans arriving at Villa Park during the tournament and beyond.”
