Delay for Wrexham’s new Kop

The Welsh football club has said that the 5,500-capacity stand will not be ready for the start of the 2024/25 season, as grant funding still needs to be finalised.

In February it was revealed that Morgan Sindall Construction is lined up to deliver the stand project, which is by far the biggest part of the Racecourse ground’s overhaul – the intention is for the world’s oldest international sports venue to once again host internationals.

Football League status was regained by the club this year, on the back of hefty financial support from celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Along with the actual ground capacity increase, the project includes event, hospitality and community space and a relocated club shop. AFL, a seasoned stadium designer, is the architect.

Planning consent was secured in November 2022. Demolition of the disused former Kop terracing started shortly after.

Wrexham Council’s bid for Levelling-Up Fund support to back the Wrexham Gateway project, which included contributions for groundworks and a hotel as part of its western area masterplan, failed to gain government approval in January.

In a statement, the club said: “The new Kop will not be open for the start of the 2024/25 season with a projected build period of 12 months from commencement on site. There is no date for starting on site, as several matters need to be resolved before that can be confirmed.”

The club went on to say that to enable a contract to build the Kop to be signed, a grant funding agreement from Wrexham Council needs to be finalised and the club satisfied that the conditions attached to the funding offer can be fulfilled. The club hopes negotiations can be completed by November this year.

These conditions include:

• The collapse of the existing lease structure at the STōK Cae Ras (which the Racecourse is now known as for sponsorship reasons). It said good progress has been made with the Wrexham Supporters Trust in this regard, with an update on the position due to be announced soon by the WST.
• Confirmation of the requirements to meet UEFA’s Category 4 stadium status and that these can be achieved. A report is awaited from UEFA after a stadium visit.

From a practical perspective, to allow a contractor to commence, the following works also needs to be completed:

• Permanent diversion of existing sewer away from the land required for the Kop with Welsh Water and Admiral Taverns (owners of The Turf pub).
• Removal of a low voltage cable and substation that serves the student accommodation that runs across the land required for the Kop with SPEN and Wrexham University. Power needs to be always retained to the student accommodation and the University now has planning permission to build a new substation to facilitate this.

Further updates will be issued in due course when progress is made, WAFC said.