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Wolves have unveiled exciting plans for a 40million pound redevelopment of Molineux which would take its capacity to 36,000 in time for the start of the 2014/15 season.
The project, which will be submitted for local authority approval in late July, was made public to local residents for the first time on Thursday night as part of a consultation meeting. The club's vision comprises of four phases, although planning permission will only initially be sought for the first three phases.
With Wanderers having recently been granted a 999-year lease for Molineux from Wolverhampton City Council, chairman Morgan is determined to build a stadium that not only increases revenue but improves facilities and the overall matchday experience for supporters - with fans being brought as close as possible to the pitch to create an intimidating atmosphere.
I love upgraded grounds like this that keep their old main stand intact. It looks better then the perfectly symmetrical or flat pack and it gives the place character.
I'm amazed by the 40 million pound figure. Australian construction costs must be terribly inflated that we can't build stadiums like this with that sort of money.
As to it's usefulness to a club like Wolves, it's an increase in capacity of 10 000. I think that's pretty sensible. They're going about things the right way, investing their Premier League money into the clubs infrastructure rather then pulling a Portsmouth and blowing it all on a squad of players they can't afford.
It's not just you. Their grounds usually have a feeling of 'completeness' which is missing in our grounds here certainly and in most others too. Less exposed concrete, more nice facades. There are exceptions - Pride Park for one, but on the whole they look kinda nice.
It's an intersting point about the look of a new stadium. When the first batch of new grounds were built in the UK in response to the Taylor Report they tended to be functional rather than good-looking (e.g. Middlesbrough, Derby, Millwall). Even older and more prestigious grounds such as Old Trafford were pretty dull. In more recent years there has been an attempt to give new grounds a unique design. The new grounds at Arsenal, Manchester City and Wembley seem to be inspiring more striking stadium designs. By-the-way, AAMI Park in Melbourne follows this trend so it does happen here!
Simon Inglis in his book "Football Grounds of Britain" heaped praise on grounds such as Highbury, Villa Park and Ibrox for their attention to detail and trying to ensure that modern improvements fitted in with the old stand(s) and that the main stands had facades that were of equal merit to the interior. Perhaps clubs have now seen in these examples that the aesthetics are as important as the function.
On the point about the Molineux redevelopment costing GBP40million, I agree that that sounds a very low figure. However, it's not a new stadium but an upgrade of an existing one with the existing main stand staying untouched. Wolverhampton isn't North London either!
