The Premier League club has launched a public consultation on the first phase of a long-term strategy for Villa Park and the surrounding area. The Birmingham-based team's owners are planning to expand the venue to accommodate more than 50,000 fans. The talks will run until July 24.

The consultation aims to gather feedback from the local community, organisations and fans before final designs and plans are made. Aston Villa wants to submit its planning application later this summer, with a decision expected to be made before the end of this year.

The first phase of Villa Park's redevelopment, anticipated to take place between 2023 and 2025, would include the construction of a new north stand to link up with the refurbished Trinity Stand. The facility will add around 7,400 seats, bringing its capacity to over 50,000.

© Elliot Brown (cc: by)

As part of the upgrade, a brand new multi-use entertainment space called Villa Live will be created. It will include retail facilities, a club museum and also a community area. The main entrance to the stadium from Witton Lane and the public space around the north stand will also undergo a transformation.

Aston Villa officials have promised to take all fan feedback into consideration as they prepare the redevelopment project. For example, six out of ten fans stated that there was a problem with mobile reception and internet access at the stadium. Therefore, the club has declared the installation of two large screens to improve Wi-Fi performance.

© Chris Homer

Regarding the plans for Villa Live, representatives of “The Villans” said that 54% of the fans would turn up at the stadium on matchday earlier if there was more going on around the arena. 42% of under-35s would arrive earlier to enjoy the entertainment the stadium would have to offer.

The redevelopment of the stadium is vital to the club to satisfy growing demand. By elevating the hospitality offering at Villa Park, we want to enhance the matchday experience and create a year-round entertainment venue to benefit both the community and our fans - said Christian Purslow, chief executive of Aston Villa.

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