Manchester City’s £300m expansion of their Etihad Stadium has been approved.
The project will increase the stadium’s capacity to almost 62,000 seats and create a new fan zone.
The proposals were given the green by Manchester City Council’s planning committee at a meeting today (Thursday, July 27).
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The north stand extension will include building a 400-bed hotel, TV studio and roof walk attraction as well as a fan zone for up to 3,000 people.
Manchester City say their aim is to create a “best-in-class fan experience” and turn the stadium into a “year-round entertainment and leisure destination”.
Planning permission was granted to expand the Etihad Stadium in 2014, but only the south stand was extended at the time.
A view of the proposed covered City Square at the Etihad Stadium (Image: Manchester City) A 95-page report, which was submitted to the committee ahead of the meeting, concluded that the proposal should be approved. It says: “The [Etihad] campus’s international profile for sporting events, would be enhanced by these facilities and further drive forward the regeneration of East Manchester bringing jobs and economic growth to the area.”
Under the plans, the north stand’s capacity will be increased by 7,900 seats taking the total capacity to 61,968.
The current club shop will be knocked down and an eight-storey building with a new store, ticket office and museum will be created offering an ‘interactive visitor experience venue’ on level three.
The upper floors will be used as workspace for small businesses and start-ups. A nine-storey hotel with 391 bedrooms and 10 suites will also be built.
Between the hotel and club shop building, City Square will be “refreshed” to create a new covered fan zone and event space with a 3,000 person capacity.
According to the report, the club have also agreed to sign a deal which will allow parts of the campus to be used by the community including local clubs and schools. A local labour deal also features in the Section 106 agreement.
The club will also pay for measures to improve “movement” around the various venues, particularly for pedestrians. A waste management agreement also aims to address litter and rubbish created on football matches and events.
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