Construction on the redevelopment of Leeds United FC’s Elland Road Stadium could start within months, according to planning documents.
The document reveals more details of how the club plans to redevelop its home stadium, adding around 20,000 seats and enabling it to host UEFA Champions League playoffs.
The club has proposed to rebuild its North and West stands in phases so the stadium can stay open during the football season.
Initial preconstruction works would start on site this September, according to the planning officer’s pre-application planning report.
Temporary floodlights, turnstiles and a hospitality marquee would be installed in the following months, before the start of demolition in February 2026.
Current designs would seat 53,000, but this may increase to up to 56,500 as the design details are finalised.
Notably, both new stands would be topped with a structural arch, a feature of many top-end stadiums that Elland Road currently lacks.
New portals framing the West Stand entrance would be made from white metalwork, matching the colour of the Leeds United jersey.
However, officers have discouraged the use of white brick, which would be difficult to clean and maintain and would weather poorly.
Other proposed features include brick cores using open materials such as hit-and-miss brickwork, glazing or ventilation louvres.
Much of the existing seating in the West Stand would be retained.
Proposals for the North Stand are currently in their earlier stages, but would include similar materials and colours to the West Stand expansion. The North Stand arch is anticipated to be 60 metres high.
Councillors will discuss the proposals at a pre-application meeting next Thursday (8 May).
Other recent football stadium expansion announcements include Aston Villa’s plans to expand Villa Park to 50,000 seats; Luton Town’s appointment of Turkish contractor Limak to deliver preconstruction services on its new 25,000-seat ground; and a new 100,000-seat stadium for Manchester United.
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Charlotte Banks