Council Report Approves Manchester City’s Stadium Expansion Plans
February 7, 2014
Manchester may soon have the two biggest Premier League stadiums after a council report approved Manchester City’s plan to increase the capacity of the Etihad Stadium from 47,620 to 62,170.
A council report recommended the plans should be approved by Manchester City Council.
The blueprint has already been submitted to the council’s planning commission, but now a report suggests that the proposed expansion should be approved.
According to the Manchester Evening News, City want add 6,250 seats behind either goal, with a further 2,000 seats added in other areas of the stadium.
This would take the capacity up from 47,620 to 62,170, allowing City to overtake Arsenal, Newcastle and Sunderland, only falling behind neighbours Manchester United and the 75,731 capacity Old Trafford.
The report recommends the plans be approved by the council’s planning commission, due to the amount of local jobs that would be created, as well as the continued regeneration of the East Manchester area.
“The continued social, economic and physical growth and regeneration of East Manchester, and the Etihad Campus, is a key objective of the Manchester Core Strategy,” the report reads.
“The expansion of the stadium will provide enhanced facilities which will help to create a stadium of national and international profile and improve the visitor experience.
“The proposal will create job opportunities, some of which will be available for local residents and business, during the construction and operation of the expanded stadium.”
The only apparent resistance to the plans comes from the Friends of Philips Park Cemetery group, who have concerns about the level of traffic and anti-social behaviour from football fans.
“The Friends Group find the expansion of the stadium of great concern to residents and the surrounding area,” adds the report.
“There are issues from the existing use of the stadium in respect of rubbish, congestion of fans and traffic.”