Representatives from Leeds United made a presentation about their plans to expand the Elland Road stadium to the City Plans Panel on Thursday (8 May 2025) ahead of a public consultation which kicks off this week.
The plans consist of expanding the West and North stands to increase the ground’s capacity from 37,645 to 53,000.
The club intends to submit a hybrid planning application later this summer seeking full permission to develop the West stand and outline permission for the North stand (the Kop end).
The proposals essentially build an extra tier on top of the existing stands with much expanded facilities for fans. The stated aim is to improve the match day experience of fans, enticing them to arrive at the ground earlier and leave later.
They hope to maintain the current ground capacity throughout the build. Subject to planning permission, the club hope to start enabling works this year with the main build period fror the West stand running from Spring 2026 to Autumn 2028. The construction of North stand would follow in 2028-29.
Councillors on the panel asked a number of questions including the impact on local residents and sustainability.
Leeds United said they are appointing a Travel Plan Co-ordinator, whose job would be to reduce percentage of fans travelling by from 65% currently to 50%. On sustainability they promised limit the amount of demolition, thus saving embodied carbon and installing solar panels and heat pumps to produce 60% of energy required.
Local councillor Andrew Scopes (Labour, Beeston & Holbeck) addressed the panel saying whilst he welcomed the development, the club had to understand that there is a cost to the local community on match days.
He suggested four areas that he would to see action on: legacy funding for community projects; a local employment scheme; resolving parking issues; and reducing the environmental issues of air quality and litter.
On parking he pointed out that 50% of the enlarged capacity was a greater that 65% of the current crowd, so much more would need to be done.
Leeds United were praised for their thorough public consultation process which starts on Tuesday (13 May) with a drop-in session at The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn, LS11 9QX from 5-8pm.
The main exhibition will be held in the Centenary Pavilion on Lowfields Road, LS11 on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 May. There will be a quiet hour from 11am on Thursday for people with disabilities, then general admission from 12-8pm. Friday’s hours will be 2-8pm. The exhibition will include displays and a model of the proposed stadium development; representatives from the design team and the club will be on hand to answer questions.
A questionnaire to gather feedback will be available at all events and on the Leeds United website. You can also email comments to EllandRoadExpansion@leedsunited.com. Over 200 comments have already been received.
Representatives have already attended Beeston Community Forum and will be at Beeston Hill Community Association’s meeting on Monday (12 May) at the Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, LS11 6RD at 6:30pm; and with Holbeck Together on Thursday morning at St Matthew’s Community Centre, LS11 9NR.
You can read the report to panel here and view the presentation slides here (Elland Road starts on page 23)
You watch the meeting here, the discussion on Elland Road starts at 1hr 25mins:
Image: CGI showing the new stadium looking south across the M621
While you’re here, can we ask a favour?
South Leeds Life is published by a not-for-profit social enterprise. We keep our costs as low as possible but we’ve been hit by increases in the print costs for our monthly newspaper which have doubled in the last two years.
Could you help support local community news by making a one off donation, or even better taking out a supporters subscription?
Donate here, or sign up for a subscription at bit.ly/SLLsubscribe
