Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium is set to double in size. (Image: Getty Images)
AFC Bournemouth have secured planning permission for the early stages of a £90m redevelopment that will increase the capacity of Vitality Stadium to more than 20,000. The club, which has the Premier League’s smallest venue at 11,000 seats, has received approval for ‘enabling works’, the first of three improvement stages due to be completed next year.
Bournemouth owner Bill Foley described the local council’s decision as an “exciting and important moment for the club”. He added: “Our proposed new stadium reflects not only our ambitions on the pitch, but also our commitment to investing in the local community.
“This project will deliver long-term benefits for supporters, local residents and the wider region beyond the BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) area.”
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Work to achieve this includes the installation of perimeter fencing and turnstiles, a new outdoor broadcasting facility and a terrace enclosure within the West Stand.
Later this year, Bournemouth will demolish and rebuild the South Stand, which will provide more than 8,000 additional seats, along with the infilling of corner sections.
The final stage will see the North and East Stands expanded both horizontally and vertically, completing the transformation which will almost double the capacity to 20,200 people.
Vitality Stadium is scheduled for major redevelopment. (Image: Getty Images)
At 11,300, the Vitality Stadium has the lowest capacity in the Premier League, just above average for the fourth tier. This reflects Bournemouth’s dramatic growth from League Two to the top flight between 2010 and 2015, during which time the club’s infrastructure struggled to keep up.
But American owner Foley, who also has stakes in clubs in France, Portugal, Croatia and New Zealand, has made improving the stadium his main goal since buying the club in 2022.
Even after its redevelopment, Vitality Stadium’s capacity will still be smaller than all current Premier League grounds, with the exception of Brentford’s G-Tech Community Stadium (17,250 capacity).
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Cherries are among a group of Premier League clubs undergoing or considering renovation plans, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool, Everton and Fulham have already completed similar projects.
