English Premier League side Burnley FC has finalized plans to develop Turf Moor and provide better facilities for disabled supporters under the Accessible Stadia Guide (ASG).
The work takes the club’s spending on infrastructure to around £20m (US$26.7m) in the past two years, including new office space and a bigger club store and ticket office at the stadium, and the major uplift to the team’s Barnfield Training Centre.
The club has also announced that there will be no work to increase the overall capacity of the stadium in the short term, unless an increase in demand for seats is observed.
Work at Turf Moor will begin in January 2018, providing a number of elevated platforms for wheelchair access.
These involve multi-million-pound projects in two corners of the stadium, between the Jimmy McIlroy Stand and both the James Hargreaves and Bob Lord Stands, as well as the relocation of the jumbo screen. Following this work, a dedicated, indoor ticket office waiting area will then be constructed to complement the existing building and replace the existing temporary canopy.
Work to construct the new viewing platforms is expected to take approximately six months and will involve consultation with fans who may be affected by this work.
“This is a significant part of our stadium development and is all about providing the right facilities for our disabled supporters here at Turf Moor,” explains stadium and operations manager Doug Metcalfe. “Back in 2015, the Premier League made a commitment that all their member clubs would be compliant to the ASG requirements and our commitment is August, 2018.
“Within 12 months, we will therefore have a stadium that meets those requirements.
“It’s been well documented that our disabled supporter facilities could be better, and we need to provide a view and an environment that is equivalent to the general seating within the stadium.
“We are at the end of a design stage now and in both corners of the ground, at either end of the Jimmy McIlroy Stand, we are looking at different platform levels, where supporters can enjoy a great view in sheltered surroundings, with easy access, a concession facilities and toilets.
“It’s a large and challenging project and this is not about cost, but about doing the right thing. We have embraced this step-change and look forward to getting going in the New Year, with a six-to-seven-month build time.”
