Stockport County Football Club has secured planning permission for a £50m phased redevelopment of its Edgeley Park stadium, allowing the League One side to increase capacity by more than two-thirds over the coming years.
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council approved the hybrid application last week.
The scheme combines detailed and outline proposals and paves the way for an expansion of the stadium’s capacity from 10,900 to 18,305 seats.
The full element of the permission includes the demolition and replacement of the East Stand, as well as the eastern and western sections of the North and South Stands.
A new two-storey East Stand will house up to 4,500 seats and incorporate food and drinks units, retail spaces, club offices, and a community meeting area.
The North Stand will be extended by 600 seats and undergo structural repairs, including the removal of its asbestos roof. New spectator facilities such as toilets, an accessible viewing platform, and refreshment kiosks will also be provided.
Outline permission has been granted for a future rebuild of the South Stand and a western extension to the North Stand, which together would provide a further 6,100 seats.
These later phases are subject to reserved matters applications but are expected to match the East Stand in scale and appearance.
Car and coach parking will also be improved as part of the development, with a dedicated coach park created on land off Mercian Way.
Public realm upgrades, new floodlighting, and a relocated media screen are included in the approved plans.
The redevelopment is being led by Stockport County FC and designed by FWP Architecture.
The project has been developed to align with the club’s seven-year ambition to return to Championship football.
After securing promotion from League Two in April, Stockport County began the 2024/25 season in League One and is targeting further growth on and off the pitch.
Club owner Mark Stott has invested more than £8m since acquiring the club in 2020, with recent works including new kiosks, a fan courtyard, and additional office space at Edgeley Park.
The club has also signed a 250-year lease agreement with the council, providing a long-term platform for investment.
Construction details
The East Stand will be built using smooth blue and grey metal profile wall cladding, with a monopitch metal-clad roof matching the West Stand in height and finish. Structural elements and concrete terracing will be left exposed in places as part of the design, while blue glazed brickwork and aluminium-framed curtain walling will provide additional visual continuity.
Internally, the new stand will include turnstiles, hospitality and retail space, a new control room and improved vertical circulation via stairs and lifts. New cycle, motorcycle and electric vehicle parking bays will be laid out to the rear of the stand, alongside soft landscaping and pedestrian routes.
Works to the North Stand will involve the removal of its 1930s-era roof, which contains asbestos, and the installation of a new monopitch roof.
A 600-seat extension will be added to the eastern end, incorporating an accessible viewing platform, sanitary facilities, and a new concourse with refreshment kiosks. A separate sanitary block will be built on Hardcastle Road.
The South Stand and western North Stand extension are subject to reserved matters but are expected to follow the same material palette and architectural approach.
The maximum height of the South Stand has been set at 22.4 metres. Illustrative plans show enhanced public realm and soft landscaping at the south end of the site.
Source: Stockport Council planning & highways regulation committee agenda
Read More
Colin Marrs