Ipswich Town plan Portman Road expansion

Article posted by Coliseum, October 30^th, 2024

Image: Portman Road Stadium, James Cracknell, CC BY-SA 4.0

Premier League club Ipswich Town FC has agreed in-principle to buy a large parcel of land behind its Portman Road stadium with a view to extending one of the stands at the venue.

The BBC said the club would acquire part of a car park behind the Cobbold Stand if a deal was completed.

The two-tier Cobbold Stand is the oldest stand at Portman Road, having been constructed in 1971, and can accommodate up to 3,000 away fans on matchdays.

Ipswich Borough Council said an outline agreement was in place for the club to buy the land, but the specific terms were “yet to be finalised”.

Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England (UK). They play in the Premier League.

The 29,673-capacity Portman Road Stadium is a football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England (UK), which has been the home ground of Ipswich Town FC since 1884. The stadium has also hosted many England youth international matches, and one senior England friendly international match against Croatia in 2003.

Ipswich Town’s chief executive Mark Ashton said recently that expanding the two-tier stand was a medium to long-term ambition.

The local authority outlined its own plan in March to redevelop other parts of the New Portman Road car park and build a new aquatics centre.

An Ipswich Borough Council spokesperson said, “The redevelopment of the Portman Road area is an exciting project, and partnership between Ipswich Borough Council and Ipswich Town Football Club. There is an in-principal agreement in place, though the specific terms are yet to be finalised.

“The comprehensive design work included in the Portman Road masterplan, features plans for an Aquatics Centre, a multi-storey car park, a hotel, and designated space for Ipswich Town Football Club’s development and expansion.

“The area in question covers approximately 3,500 square meters and is an integral part of the masterplan.”

The council previously said the alignment of Portman Road itself could be changed to allow for the redevelopment.

Club bosses oversaw 104 projects during the summer to prepare the ground for its first Premier League season in 24 years.

It included the introduction of some ‘safe standing’ areas in the Cobbold Stand and a new TV studio and gantries.

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