Stanley pushes on with next upgrade

Football League club Accrington Stanley FC is looking to improve its facilities with a new changing room and facilities building.

The club has for the last five years required to get special permission from the EFL as its changing facilities, housed in a dilapidated building, no longer meet minimum size standards on medical, toilet and shower provision.

Hyndburn Council’s planning committee will next week examine the club’s proposals to install a new south-east corner infill block in place of the existing facilities, with approval recommended by planning officers.

The project is the next stage of a ground improvement programme instigated by Andy Holt, who took control of the club as chairman in 2015. Campbell Driver Partnership is the architect for the new block.

Over the last few years, the floodlights at the historic Crown Ground, now known as the Wham Stadium, have been replaced and the North Stand on the Whinney Hill side redeveloped. The South Stand is currently undergoing its own refurbishment, which is due for completion in early 2022.

That redevelopment was supposed to house new changing facilities, but with club income drying up during the Covid pandemic, the project has been rethought, so that hospitality will be extended into that part of the stand scheme, and changing rooms now included in the corner block development.

The new block will include changing rooms and physio facilities within a 3,800 sq ft ground floor, along with a player and staff entrance, accessible toilets and new turnstiles, while the first floor will house the academy staff and meeting room, a manager’s office, manager’s guest area, more toilets and a drinks area.

The proposed block includes aademy space at first floor level. Credit: via planning documents