During yesterday’s annual general meeting the chairman of Scunthorpe United revealed his club is planning a new stadium for 12,000-18,000 people. If possible, the structure would include a terrace area with safe standing facilities.

Scunthorpe United chairman Peter Swann announced during yesterday’s AGM that the club is currently on the lookout for future stadium site. It won’t be Glanford Park, but somewhere in the vicinity. Negotiations are said to be ongoing with one landowner.

The new stadium would hold only slightly more than the current one in its initial form, reaching 12,000 capacity. It would however be expandable by further 50% to 18,000, should demand grow.

The cost is estimated at £17-18 million (€20-21m / $28-30m) and United hope to get even up to half the budget from FA, governmental or EU programs.

The scheme is already fully supported by North Lincolnshire Council leader Liz Redfern, who hopes the ground will become a major community asset. Apart from the regular football use a groundshare scheme is taken into account and additional facilities may include a hotel, conference centre and perhaps more. Details weren’t released outside the AGM so far, though.

The planned delivery for the stadium should be mid-2015 or mid-2016, United want to avoid opening when season is underway.

What some fans may find encouraging, is the stance regarding safe standing inside the new stadium. “If it’s allowed then I will put one in, I’ve got no problem with it. I’ve got nothing against it”, said Peter Swann yesterday. “I’m up for it. We only had 500 seats at Gainsborough. I love standing areas”.