The local council has given Derbyshire club Buxton FC the green light to rebuild and increase the capacity of its main stand.
The current stand capacity is 500. The council has now approved the increase to double it, taking it to 1,005. The Silverland Stadium currently holds a capacity of 5,200, so the latest development will take the total capacity up to 5,705, edging the club towards 6,000.
The new stand isn't just about capacity, however. It will feature a ground-floor kitchen, changing rooms, a classroom, and a reception area with a staircase allowing access to the first floor. The first floor will feature a large function room and bar area, a directors' lounge, private box access, and toilets.
These upgrades amount to nearly £1 million worth of improvements the club have made over the past decade. Adding an all-weather pitch, education academies with Buxton & Leek College, better seating, and replacing structures.
‘A good time to be Buxton FC'
Speaking about the news, Buxton FC Chairman, David Hopkins was excited about the new development:
“This new stand will consolidate facilities that are currently dotted around the ground and will take up space where people can currently stand up. The hospitality, the club shop and canteen facilities will be better and encompassed in this new stand.”
It was safe to say that the old stand was “looking tired”, said Hopkins, with the new stand being huge for the club's future, “prepare the club for future generations and beyond”.
Not all smooth sailing
While the new stand has been approved, it wasn't universally liked. The council has had a number of complaints with the new stand:
A local resident stated, “The existing problems of traffic congestion and of users seeking to park in nearby residential areas are likely to worsen.”
This is likely due to the increased capacity, plus obvious issues with workers being in the area.
Club Chairman David Hopkins quickly replied to a few of these complaints; “I think what got lost in the planning is the fact we are not increasing the overall capacity of the stadium”.
Obviously, both sites have a point here, and Hopkins is never likely to admit that things would be worse.
He continued, saying; “I understand the concerns the locals had but I think you get that with most planning applications.”
Which is more than likely the case with anything that gets built these days.
Now, the focus moves to getting the stand built, which also comes with its own challenges.
David Hopkins ended on this point, saying; “The biggest challenge now will be delivering the stand whilst still playing at the stadium during the season.”