Current Redevelopment
Plans were announced in May 2010 to begin an extensive multi-million pound programme of redevelopment to enlarge the stadium's capacity and develop its facilities. A full application for planning permission was submitted in September 2010, and granted three months later.
Phase 1 of this process was confirmed in February 2011, and commenced on 23 May 2011 as demolition of the Stan Cullis Stand began. In its place will be a new two-tier stand (seating 7,798), complete with mega-store, museum, café, hospitality facilities and video screen, that will be officially opened for the 2012–13 season. The stand will extend around into the north east corner – currently open space – to house away fans in this spot. Stadium capacity at the end of this phase will be approximately 31,700.
This phase, costing an estimated £18 million, is being carried out by contractors the Buckingham Group. The lower tier was opened to fans during September 2011, creating the current stadium capacity of 27,828. Phase 1 is now fully completed. It has 14 blocks, 7 in the lower tier - NL1 to NL7 - and 7 in the upper tier - NU1 to NU7.
Phase 2 will be the rebuilding of the Steve Bull Stand over a two-season period. Work was initially set to begin in summer 2012, but has since been postponed with no revised start date yet set. At the conclusion of this stage stadium capacity would reach around 36,000 and see this stand connected to the new Stan Cullis Stand. Proceeding with this second stage would raise the redevelopment spend to in excess of £40 million.
Phase 3 is subject to demand and finance, but is planned to be the construction of a new top-tier on the Jack Harris Stand, that will connect it to the new Steve Bull Stand. This would bring capacity up to around 38,000.
Phase 4 is a tentative plan to completely redevelop the Billy Wright Stand in a move that would bring capacity to 50,000. However, no planning permission will yet be sought for this phase and it remains only a potential, rather than planned, development with no timeframe in place. If this happened, it would make Molineux one of the largest stadiums in England providing there are few relocations or substantial expansions by other clubs in the meantime.
Read more about this topic: Molineux Stadium
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