It has been more than three years now since Wrexham revealed their plans for a Kop redevelopment at one end of their stadium, and after a series of hurdles, work is now finally underway on bringing the club's vision to life.
Piping work has begun on the open end to replace the stand that was demolished way back in January 2023. The hope now is that things can go ‘vertical' in the coming weeks with a completion date of some time during the 2026/27 season planned.
Now, the engineering company behind the redevelopment, Buro Happold, has revealed some key design features for the new stand.
A challenging project
The firm have said that one of the biggest challenges of the project has been how quickly Wrexham have flown up the English football pyramid.
When the project was first announced, the club had only just been promoted from the National League and were plying their trade in League Two. Fast-forward to now, and they have the Premier League in their sights.
This is what the new Kop Stand at Wrexham's stadium is proposed to look like…
— george (@StokeyyG2) February 4, 2025
It is set to hold 5,500 fans with a roof that amplifies sound towards the pitch as well as safe standing. pic.twitter.com/X9wTOryr92
As such, the instructions they were given have shifted, and the plan now is to create a ‘Premier-League standard' stand.
In terms of the biggest challenge they have faced in light of this shift in focus, the firm said:
“One of the most significant challenges lay in the integration of modern player facilities within the stand itself. Traditionally located near the halfway line, these spaces were relocated to the Kop to align with the standards expected of a top-tier club.
“However, player facilities are space-hungry and heavily serviced – and the ground floor also provides an important link to a new external plaza and for non-matchday use.
“Balancing these competing spatial demands required careful architectural and engineering coordination, particularly given the steep geometry of the stand and the need to maintain efficient circulation for circa 7,500 spectators.“
FGG says: A firm on a mission
Also within the project statement from Buro Happold was a note about how ‘rapid delivery is ‘crucial', which will be music to the years of Wrexham fans who have been without a permanent stand at one end of the stadium for some time now. Whether this new stand opens as a Premier League stand is something we will only have the answer to in May.