Elland Road: Leeds United's stadium regeneration plans move forward as capacity goal outlined

Plans to expand Elland Road have been in the offing for a while, with demand for tickets having soared in recent years.

The club have made no secret of their desire to meet the increased demand and have detailed plans for an increase in the stadium’s capacity.

Councillors will be briefed on a plan to increase capacity to up to 56,500, a major increase on the current capacity of 37,792.

As land immediately surrounding the stadium is owned by Leeds City Council, agreements will need to be struck before expansion.

Leeds City Council leader James Lewis said: “Elland Road and Leeds United are part of the heart and soul of the city, and the club deserves a stadium befitting of its special status and incredible fans.

“Naturally we’re keen to support this however we can, and to work closely with the club to ensure they are in the best possible position to achieve their ambitions and build a bigger, brighter future for the club, their supporters and sport in the city.”

The report to be put before councillors details a plan to regenerate the surrounding area, including focus on the Heart of Holbeck project.

It is believed plans could unlock billions of pounds of investment and with a potential mass rapid transit link for South Leeds, there is thought to be potential for Elland Road to become a year-round destination.

Members of the council will be asked to note the project’s ‘huge potential’ and approve the beginning of legal agreements to dispose of council lands to the club.

They will also be asked to approve the council’s entrance into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Leeds United’s development partner Lowy Family Group, as well as steps to refresh plans for the regeneration of land adjacent to an expanded stadium.

Councillor Lewis said: “From a wider perspective, the regeneration of the Elland Road area also represents one of the city’s most exciting development opportunities for a generation, which would revitalise a huge area of Leeds and potentially bring hundreds of millions of pounds into our local economy.

“Local residents will be fully consulted throughout the planning process and we’re keen to ensure their voices are heard and that they get the chance to inform the project at each stage.

“We want to do all that we can to maximise this incredible opportunity and put everything we can in place, including our MoU with the club’s development partner LFG, to facilitate what could represent a genuine game changer for Leeds.”

Leeds’ chief operating officer Morrie Eisenberg added: “Elland Road holds a significant place in the hearts of Leeds United fans and the city as a whole.

“This agreement with Leeds City Council marks another step towards our ambition to expand and refresh a century-old stadium, while retaining the unique atmosphere and spirit of Elland Road.

“Our commitment to the long-term success of the club is illustrated in our plans to invest in, modernise and re-vision the stadium - improving the facilities and the ability to welcome thousands more supporters through its doors.

“We will be sharing our plans with supporters and the local community imminently and look forward to hearing their thoughts.”

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