A range of property and construction titles including Property Week, PBC Today and New Civil Engineer, quote Josh Risso-Gill on the potential redevelopment of the Emirates Stadium
min readArsenal FC is reportedly exploring a significant redevelopment of the Emirates Stadium, potentially increasing its seating capacity and delivering a multi-functional, digital-first stadium.
The proposals are reported to be in early conceptual stages, with feasibility, cost, and logistical considerations under review. Early estimates suggest a project value of around £500 million. No formal planning application has yet been submitted as the club remains mindful of the legal and regulatory hurdles that any redevelopment would entail.
According to early reports, preliminary designs may include:
- Structural re-engineering of existing stands
- Re-tiering of seating
- Partial redesign of the stadium bowl
The aim would be to increase capacity from approximately 60,000 to 70,000, while delivering a multi-functional, digital-first stadium.
Josh Risso-Gill, Partner in our Planning, Infrastructure & Environment team, comments on the potential development in a range of property titles, including Property Week, PBC Today and New Civil Engineer. Josh explains:
Expanding the Emirates Stadium will be a complex logistical challenge, and it’s understandable that temporary relocation to Wembley could be necessary to deliver such a major upgrade safely and efficiently.
"The site is hemmed in on three sides by residential areas and bordered by both the Piccadilly and Northern Underground lines, which means transport, crowd management and security will be central issues for any capacity increase. The local infrastructure is already under significant match-day pressure, so mitigating impacts on the surrounding community will be critical to securing planning consent.
"If Arsenal also intends to increase non-football use – for example, hosting more musical concerts to boost revenues – the club would likely need to revisit existing restrictions, limited to three per year.
For more details, read the full PBC Today piece here.
