Aston Villa Announce North Stand Redevelopment Plans
Aston Villa Football Club has announced plans to refurbish and expand the seat capacity in the North Stand of the stadium.
As the latest instalment of the North Ground regeneration plans, the North Stand expansion is part of Villa’s commitment to levelling up the fan experience whilst becoming a world-class sports and entertainment venue.
The redevelopment will increase the number of seats available in the North Stand to over 12,000. Combined with ongoing upgrades to Villa Park’s other three stands, the total capacity at Villa Park will increase to over 50,000.
The stadium renovation is expected to be completed in 2027, ahead of the UEFA EURO 2028 Tournament that Villa Park will be a host venue for.
Championing a sustainable approach, Aston Villa FC will adapt and reuse the existing North Stand structure for the expansion. This innovative approach ensures that the capacity for Villa Park will not decrease at any time during construction, mitigating disruption to fans throughout the process.
These changes, alongside other improvements to the North Grounds, are designed to deliver the best matchday experience for Aston Villa’s fans and create a thriving community hub.
Aston Villa first announced its plans for an expanded North Stand in 2022, when a full rebuild of the North Stand was proposed. The club has been clear that increases to the capacity of the stadium must be done in tandem with improvements to the local transport network. Since the expansion plans were announced in 2022, Mayor Richard Parker has committed in his campaign manifesto to rebuild Witton Station.
Improvements suggested include replacing the current station passenger shelters, introducing larger and safer queuing systems, delivering a new station footbridge and introducing higher capacity trains to double the current passenger handling capability of the station to 10,000 passengers per matchday.
This commitment from the mayor to develop the station would not only allow Aston Villa to press ahead with the North Stand redevelopment, it also means stronger travel links between Aston and Birmingham City Centre for the local community, Aston Villa fans and visitors.
Through a robust design process, Aston Villa has found a way to adapt and modernise the existing structure of the North Stand without losing any seats during the season. With disruption to current fans mitigated, Aston Villa can move forward with the planning process.
Nassef Sawiris, Executive Chairman of Aston Villa FC, said: “Since Wes and I became owners of this storied club in 2018 and Atairos joined us as partners in 2024, we have shared a clear ambition: to restore Aston Villa to its rightful position competing at the highest levels of English and European football, and to transform the club into a global brand and European powerhouse.
“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.”
With the proposed redevelopment of the North Stand, the club’s gross contribution to the local economy will reach £120m per year, including supporting over 1,700 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs and attracting over 1.1m visitors to Villa Park each year.
Chris Heck, President of Business Operations at Aston Villa FC, said: “From fully revamping our retail and hospitality facilities, the impending opening of our new shop in the Bull Ring, to hosting world class music acts at Villa Park, the upcoming launch of The Warehouse and now the expansion of the North Stand – our ownership continues to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to making this one of the best clubs in the world, deservedly, both on and off the pitch.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Aston Villa is a vital part of our region’s identity and I’m proud to support the club’s ambitious plans to redevelop the North Stand.
“Their long-standing commitment to Aston and the wider community is clear – not just through this redevelopment, but through investment in The Warehouse, community facilities, job creation and the Aston Villa Foundation.
“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.”
Expanding matchday capacity is aligned with Aston Villa’s vision for strategic growth. The increased seating will not only enable more Aston Villa fans to come to every game but will also bolster the club’s diverse revenue streams by increasing ticket availability for live entertainment events at Villa Park.
Images: Aston Villa FC
