Wrexham’s new Kop stand will not be open for the start of next season due to a series of hold-ups. The League Two club had been hoping to start work on the 5,500 capacity stand in June after demolishing the old terrace that had stood empty since 2008.
Government funding of around £25million has been pledged to
the Gateway project, which is part of a wider scheme to transform a key
corridor into the city that includes improvements to the nearby Wrexham General
station.
However, no building work has been done on the site since
the demolition work took place during the final months of last season.
Four new floodlights, however, were added in the summer to
bring the Racecourse Ground up to EFL standards following promotion. No start date for the new stand is in place
for what is expected to be a 12-month job.
Among the hold-ups has been the need to relocate an
electrical sub-station that powers the student accommodation blocks that sit
behind the main stand. An existing sewer also has to be diverted away from the
land, with discussions ongoing with Welsh Water and Admiral Taverns, who own
The Turf pub that sits right next to the stadium.
Other conditions that must be met before work can commence
include the transfer of the lease for the Racecourse to the club from the
Wrexham Supporters’ Trust (WST), the group who were bought out by Ryan Reynolds
and Rob McElhenney in February 2021.
The delays are a blow to Wrexham, who have sold out every
League Two fixture since being promoted last season. Demand regularly
out-strips the supply of tickets and a new Kop stand is seen as the only
solution.
There is no doubt that the success of the club has been a
boost to the local economy.
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