Enhancing Elland Road

Leeds United Football Club is applying for planning permission from Leeds City Council to expand Elland Road stadium to a capacity of up to 53,000. The aim is to enhance and retain the iconic atmosphere and spirit of Elland Road.

It will bring the West and North stands up to current stadium standards - while improving and providing an engaging overall fan experience. This is a hybrid planning application with a detailed submission for the West Stand and an outline application for the North Stand.

In March 2024, ownership of Elland Road stadium was transferred to Leeds United Football Club. This gave LUFC an ideal opportunity to consider the club’s ambitions for the future of the stadium. Since then, the club has been busily assembling an expert team - combining global stadium experience with local specialist knowledge.

Modernising, expanding and improving the stadium reflects the ambition of the owners for the club as a whole - delivering a premier league stadium for a premier league club.

The expert team, appointed by Leeds United Football Club, have modelled various technical solutions for enhancing the stadium taking into consideration several influencing factors. This includes meeting the demand for season tickets, protecting the inimitable Elland Road atmosphere and maintaining ideal maximum viewing distances where possible.

Along with the physical parameters in which we can design, we believe that the current Elland Road site is able to sustain an expansion solution to 53,000, which meets our requirements and the business plan, as well as delivering an elite stadium in the heart of Leeds. The final capacity and where these seats will be will determined through the planning and design process.

The club is aware that there is a high and growing demand for tickets to matches. Therefore, a motivating factor for our plans is to significantly increase general admission capacity. It is anticipated that the number of season ticket holders will also increase. The club is commitment to a fair market price for tickets, however, at this point in the process ticket prices have not been determined.

The configuration of seating is still to be determined. We are working in close conjunction with the Supporters Advisory Group, match day operations and the Safety Advisory Group to ensure that we achieve the optimal configuration.

The planning application for expansion specifically focusses on the West and North Stands. However, plans are currently being developed to modernise and improve the South Stand. We will update supporters with more details in the near future.

We are looking at reinventing the hospitality offer at Elland Road to ensure that it meets a more diverse customer base. We want to cater for all tastes and price points - with a wider choice to meet all wants and needs. Through the design process and business plan we will be shaping the proportion of hospitality types.

We are very proud of the iconic Billy Bremner statue and recognise his importance to supporters. These plans will, in no way, impact it. Billy is here to stay.

There are several stages which need to be followed before the first spade can be put into the ground. Our first target is to gain planning permission. The club is currently in discussion with Leeds City Council through the “pre-application” process. This will pave the way for a formal planning application to be submitted in the summer.

Once these formal processes have been completed and if permission is granted the club will start assembling the construction team to get on site as quickly as possible. The expansion will be done in phases starting with the West Stand to ensure as little disruption as possible to the playing season. We aim to see spades in the ground in the next 12 months.

The objective of the design team is to minimise seat loss and disruption. The phased development is designed to preserve as many seats as possible during the construction phase. There may be a short amount of time when some seats are temporarily disrupted. However, this will be for a limited number of seats and only for a brief period. Our team will ensure to have clear communications with anyone who may be affected.

Elland Road is an iconic part of Leeds’ legacy and we believe that these improvements will make a transformative impact to the club, city and our community. We understand that local residents will have many questions about our plans. The Club has appointed a dedicated member of the team to lead the engagement and consultation process.

We have arranged a number of opportunities for supporters, residents, neighbours and members of the public to speak with us about our plans. We will also be visiting venues in the community to ensure we reach as many people as possible.

The Holbeck Club

Tuesday 13th May 2025 (5pm-8pm)

The Dragon Pub

Monday 19th May (5pm - 8pm)

Public Exhibition at The Centenary Pavilion, Elland Road

Thursday 22nd May 2025 (11am-12pm) BSL and Quiet Session

Thursday 22nd May 2025 (12pm-8pm)

Friday 23rd May 2025 (2pm-8pm)

There is a dedicated email address for you to feedback your comments and ask any questions.

[email protected]

As part of our planning submission we are required to conduct a robust transport assessment. This is being completed on our behalf by Hydrock Fore, an experienced team of consultants providing expertise in transport planning and infrastructure. As part of this assessment, Hydrock Fore is considering the impact to the highways infrastructure, parking, public transport and active travel. Through this work we will establish a holistic and sustainable travel plan including a specially appointed travel co-ordinator. We will be refreshing arrangements for match day parking and prioritising accessible parking. We are in discussion with Leeds City Council and WYCA regarding the current tram proposals and improvements to public transport and walking routes to the site.

We will be happy to speak with residents or supporters who have concerns regarding travel planning through the engagement process. Please get in touch.

The proposed expansion will bring a boost to the local economy, increased jobs and opportunities for local people.

These plans will act as a catalyst for the regeneration and increased investment in South Leeds. LUFC will be required to include a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) and an Employment and Skills Plan as part of the planning application process. We will also be adopting a Social Impact Strategy as part of the development process. This will shape our approach to promoting local employment and training opportunities; supporting local businesses; engaging with local schools and universities and supporting the local community. Alongside, our charitable partners at LUFC Foundation we aim to ensure that this exciting project delivers a positive legacy to the lives of people in our community.

During the consultation process we will be speaking with local businesses, residents and third sector partners and we look forward to hearing your thoughts.

As part of the planning submission a robust sustainability analysis has been completed by an expert team at Buro Happold. This has informed a design which aims for BREEAM “very good” with “excellent” in performance. This includes improved public realm and landscaping, rooftop PV’s and 60% energy coming from low carbon sources. The decision to expand the stadium, rather than rebuild also saves a significant sum of embodied carbon.

Leeds United are committed to providing our services and facilities for our supporters with disabilities and additional needs. It is vital that all our fans are able to have the best experience at Elland Road. The design team have been working closely with an Accessibility and Inclusion Specialist to ensure that our proposals prioritise access needs. We are working closely with our Disability Advisory Group and Disability Liaison Officer to inform our plans. The proposals will bring further improvements to access at Elland Road for example increasing the number of Changing Places facilities at the stadium.

We want to ensure that our engagement and consultation process is as inclusive as possible. We have arranged a BSL and Quiet Session at the public exhibition on Thursday 22nd May 2025 (11am-12pm) at the Centenary Pavillion. We are ensuring that accessible materials are available and we would welcome the opportunity to meet with groups who are interested either at the exhibition or at an alternative venue or online.

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss this in more detail.

[email protected]