The club’s majority shareholder Steve Lansdown broke the news at the Annual Supporters Meeting yesterday.
The club had been considering options to redevelop its existing ground at a cost of £40m or move to an entirely new £60m stadium at a new site in Aston Vale
He said: “We’ll sign the section 106 agreement any day now, and then we have six weeks to wait for the Judicial Review period.
Lansdown added: “We wanted to give some certainty to supporters, so if we get through to March with no Judicial Review, then we will be going ahead with the redevelopment plans, starting in May.”
The plan to redevelop the existing stadium involves replacing the Williams and Wedlock stands to increase its capacity from 21,500 to 27,000 in stages over the next three years.
New stadium plan
Today’s stadium
Alongside the stadium the club also intends to build a new conference, exhibition and entertainment centre for the city.
Capita Symonds is project manager and KKA Architecture, the designers.
Stadium revamp phasing
- Phase 1 (Completion by Q3 2015) – Demolition of the Wedlock Stand and construction of a new Wedlock Stand
- Phase 2 (Completion by Q3 2015) – Demolition of Dolman front seating tier, modification of the Dolman Stand seating, concourse and roof
- Phase 3 (Completion by Q3 2015) – Demolition of Williams Stand, Hire-Rite Building and No.65 Ashton Road; construct new DESSO pitch
- Phase 4 (Completion by Q3 2016) – Construct new Williams Stand and complete all site works
