Leeds United have at last managed to secure planning permission from Leeds City Council to increase the capacity of Elland Road to 53,000, which will give us the seventh biggest club stadium in the country.

This will be achieved by expanding the West and North Stands and “targeted alterations” to the South Stand. It will be difficult to increase the size of the latter to the same height as the others, because it backs straight onto a public road. A key objective is to reduce the size of the Season Ticket Waiting List, which now stands at 26,000.

And we’ve also been promised improved seating comfort and sightlines, enhanced concourses, and fan amenity spaces, both inside and around the stadium. And of course, improvements to the all-important hospitality facilities. Presumably this will include a refurbishment of the West Stand, which is starting to show it’s age.

When it’s all finished, Elland Road will have UEFA Category 4 status, which will enable the stadium to bid to host matches in major international tournaments. Leeds hosted an England friendly in 1995 and was one of the venues for Euro 96, but hasn’t had a look in since as several other stadia in England have been expanded, upgraded or newly built.

And through it all, we have also been promised that “The preservation of Elland Road’s renowned atmosphere and acoustics, ensuring the intensity and identity of the ground will remain undiminished”. In a statement on the official site Paraag Marathe said: “We are delighted to have secured planning permission for the expansion of Elland Road Stadium”.

“This is a historic day for Leeds United Football Club. As custodians of this great club, we are committed to its long-term success, and today’s decision supports our ambition to establish Leeds in the Premier League and continue progressing over the years to come. I would like to thank everyone involved in the project to date, for helping us reach this point.”

And Chief Business Officer Morrie Eisenberg added: “This has been a truly collective effort, with Leeds City Council, our local communities in Holbeck and Beeston, National Highways, our expert advisers and, most importantly, our supporters all pulling together to reach this milestone.”

“The overwhelming level of support, with 98% of respondents backing the proposals, demonstrates how deeply this club and stadium matter to the city. Without our fans, this moment would not be possible. The expansion will allow us to welcome thousands more supporters through the gates, and create a better matchday experience for everyone.”

“The stadium expansion project is also the first step towards the wider regeneration of the Elland Road neighbourhood. Alongside our partners, we are committed to ensuring this development delivers lasting social and economic benefits, from job creation to increased investment, while continuing to grow our community impact through the Leeds United Foundation and organisations such as Holbeck Together.”

National Highways have bene mentioned because the transport arrangements had been one sticking point in getting the approval over the line, due to the extra traffic that increased attendances would inevitably generate. Leeds put forward a travel plan, which will promote the use of public transport, encourage car drivers to park further afield and a Section 106 agreement to fund highway improvements.

A Section 106 agreement is a legally binding contract in UK planning, which is used to offset a development's negative impacts by securing contributions for infrastructure, where the developer pledges financial payments for the extra works required. Though no doubt the City Council were also sweetened by the estimate that the project will generate around £29 million a year for the Leeds City Region economy.

The detail is that the capacity of the John Charles Stand will increase from 8,000 to 17,750 by adding a new upper tier, while the Don Revie Stand will be up from 10,414 seats to a maximum of 15,300. The work on the West Stand will be done first, and enabling works will start immediately, with major construction activity starting at the end of the current season.

They have promised that Elland Road will remain open throughout the expansion, and they have previously indicated that there will be no temporary loss of capacity while the work is being done, though that hasn’t been specifically mentioned in the latest announcement. They have however promised us that” further updates will be shared with supporters and stakeholders as the project progresses”.

And there is no mention of all of this being dependent on whether we retain our Premier League status this season, though dare I say that is starting to look increasingly likely in any case. Which has to be good news, as not only will it make it easier for us to get tickets, but the increased revenue will help Leeds compete at a higher level in the years to come.

Under the current PSR regulations, expenditure on facilities doesn’t count as a cost within the calculations, but in future years the extra income can be included, so all being well these developments have to give us a brighter future all round.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters