Stockport County stadium expansion plans are in progress as the club looks to Edgeley Park redevelopment in 2025.
The ground expansion would take Edgeley Park from its current capacity of 10,852 to around 18,000.
The key focus of the improvements will be the fan experience, with Stockport fans being heavily consulted on each step of the stadium expansion.
Stockport County has today launched its next phase of consultation on plans for a phased expansion of Edgeley Park, which would increase capacity from 10,852 up to c.18,000.
More details ? https://t.co/EygweOBCSR#StockportCounty pic.twitter.com/Bj5tHO48kS
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) March 13, 2024
Fan feedback vital to expansion plans
Stockport County invited feedback from the local community and supporters when the plans to expand and improve Edgeley Park were announced in 2022.
/https%3A%2F%2Ffootballgroundguide.com%2Fapp%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F03%2FStockport-County.jpg "Stockport County stadium expansion: Edgeley Park redevelopment latest 1")
In a June 2024 club statement, Stockport outlined the outcomes of its initial consultation with fans regarding the development of a new stadium. Fans expressed a strong preference for a “community stadium” that features covered seating and provides excellent sightlines of the pitch.
Additionally, participants highlighted the importance of improving accessibility for individuals with disabilities and called for enhanced facilities. Sustainability and environmental considerations were also emphasised, with many fans advocating for a greener approach to the stadium's design and operations.
Moreover, the expanded stadium was recommended to offer high-quality food and beverage options and efficient access routes to make spectator visits more convenient.
Stockport commit to ‘phased approach’ for Edgeley Park expansion
Stockport revealed that the plans “are based on a phased approach to investing in improvements to Edgeley Park, in order to ensure sustainable growth.”
The club initially planned to expand and enhance the North Stand (Danny Bergara Stand) and East Stand (Railway End). This would expand the North Stand by 600 seats and the East Stand by 1366 seats. The plans also include retaining and repairing the North Stand’s historic brick frontage along Hardcastle Road.
– Planning for work to begin on Danny Bergara Stand (Main Stand) in early 2025
– Main Stand increased to 2.6k, Railway End to 4.5k
– Main Stand facade to be retained
– Pop Side increased to 5.5k, with new hospitality facilities etc#stockportcountyhttps://t.co/bMugqM6nkY pic.twitter.com/cqqWKLkowg
— Sam Byrne (@_SByrne) March 13, 2024
Stockport are looking to begin the North Stand eastern extension in early 2025, however, it is subject to planning permission.
Long-term plans and environmental sustainability
The Hatters’ long-term plans include redeveloping and expanding the South Stand (Together Stand) and adding 600 additional seats in the North Stand. In the next few months, a hybrid planning application for the expansion will be submitted.
Redeveloping Edgeley Park will be done with environmental sustainability in mind.
Stockport said: “The major investment into Edgeley Park also presents an opportunity to improve the environmental performance of the stadium and support Stockport and Greater Manchester’s carbon reduction targets. The Club is also developing a Travel Plan, with the aim of encouraging fans to travel to matches using sustainable modes of travel and minimising impacts on the local community.”
Second round of consultation
Following the original consultation phase in 2022, the club announced that the second round was well underway.
This round of consultations on the plans for Edgeley Park continued until Wednesday, 3 April 2024.
Drop-in sessions at the ground to discuss the plans took place on the following dates:
- Tuesday, 19 March, 2024
- Saturday, 23 March, 2024
- Monday, 25 March 25, 2024
Ken Knott statement
Ken Knott, non-executive chairman at Stockport County, said: “We are delighted to be bringing forward plans for the expansion and enhancement of Edgeley Park to create a true community stadium. We know just how much the ground means to the fans and local community; it has been at the beating heart of Stockport for over 120 years. Ultimately, we want to ensure that the stadium matches our level of ambition so it can continue to provide a first-rate home for the Club and the local community for many years to come.
“Following our first round of consultation in 2022, we took our time to review and reflect upon the feedback we received, and we have developed our plans accordingly. We want to ensure our plans for Edgeley Park provide our fans with the best possible matchday experience, whilst also remaining sensitive to our neighbours and providing the people of Stockport with a range of high-quality new community spaces.
“This is a very exciting time for the club as we continue to go from strength to strength, both on and off the field. We have outlined our ambition to reach the Championship, and we have already taken great strides towards reaching this goal over the past two seasons. Ultimately, we believe that the expansion and enhancement of Edgeley Park is crucial in order to support the continued growth of the club and provide a platform for further success.”