Villa Park – design description

What is the Villa Park redevelopment project in a nutshell?

Works at Villa Park include the expansion of the stand behind the northern goal. It will be extended into the corners, where space is available for further development. The number of seats in the stand will increase from 5,000 to 12,000, raising the stadium’s overall capacity to over 50,000.

Initial works began in March 2026, with completion expected in the second half of 2027 – ahead of UEFA Euro 2028, for which Villa Park is set to serve as one of the host venues.

Before the expansion of the northern stand got underway, the former academy building nearby was renovated in 2025 and converted into the so-called “The Warehouse” – a large pub and a fan meeting place on matchdays.

How did the redevelopment plans for Villa Park come about?

Villa Park underwent its last major redevelopment between 2000 and 2001, when a new west stand, much larger than the previous one, was built from scratch. Since then, there has been talk of further expansion, and there was even a plan to rebuild the north stand in the same way as the west stand, but it has not materialized.

In 2016 Aston Villa FC, after many years in the Premier League, was relegated to the Championship. After another three seasons, however, the team returned to the Premier League, prompting a surge in interest in season tickets, as well as hospitality packages.

In response to demand, new plans for the stadium's expansion emerged, and public consultations were held. The first renderings appeared in August 2022, with the concept prepared by Grimshaw studio in cooperation with Trivandi.

What were the initial plans for the redevelopment of Villa Park?

The main idea behind the planned expansion was to demolish the stand behind the north goal, which was built between 1976 and 1977, and then build a completely new, larger and more modern stand in its place. With the construction of the new stand, the number of seats in the stadium was to increase by more than 7,000, so that the total capacity would exceed 50,000 spectators.

The project also included changes to the west stand and the entire surroundings of the stadium, including the reconstruction of the entrance from Witton Lane to the area in front of the north stand. The plaza in front of the stand was to include an open space for fans, while the further northern section of the site was to receive new parking areas.

An important part of the initially presented concept was a new building, the so-called Villa Live, to serve as a retail and entertainment space and a meeting place for the local community. Among other things, it was planned to include a new club store and a museum. The building was to occupy part of the area in front of the north stand.

What changes have taken place in the Villa Park expansion project?

What changes came with the first update of the Villa Park expansion plans (in 2023)?

In July 2023, the club published an updated concept, in which the project was truncated from the Villa Live building, which had been planned to be built in front of the north stand.

What is The Warehouse?

An alternative to Villa Live was to retain the old academy building stretching along Witton Lane, which under the original plans was to be demolished. The building was intended to be refurbished to serve as a fan meeting place and an events venue, capable of hosting various functions and even accommodating a small indoor football pitch.

The so-called “The Warehouse” includes a pub and facilities for fans to watch matches. In addition, new administrative spaces relocated from the North Stand were planned within the building.

The Warehouse project was carried out throughout 2025, with the renovated facility opening at the turn of 2025 and 2026.

What changes did the second update of Villa Park expansion plans (in 2025) bring?

In April 2025, the club revealed new plans: the north stand will not be demolished and built anew, but only expanded based on the existing structure.

What does the Villa Park expansion project entail?

The project primarily concerns the expansion of the stand behind the northern goal. Its capacity is set to increase from 5,000 to 12,000 spectators, raising the stadium’s overall capacity to over 50,000.

The new stand will be widened on both sides through more extensive use of the available corner areas. The works are expected to be carried out in a way that minimizes reductions in available seating during the season.

In March 2026, initial construction works began with the demolition of existing corner structures of the North Stand. The project is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2027, ahead of UEFA Euro 2028, for which matches are also expected to be held at Villa Park.

A progress report on the North Stand expansion at Villa Park is available on a separate subpage