Wrexham AFC has received planning permission to build a new 5,500-seater stand at the Racecourse Ground, as part of an £18 million redevelopment project backed by Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The plans, approved by Wrexham County Borough Council’s planning committee, will replace the derelict Kop stand and increase the stadium’s capacity to all four stands.
The project is expected to be supported by the government’s Levelling Up Fund, with the club also contributing a significant amount. The council has applied for £18 million in taxpayer funding, which would be used to transform the stadium into a venue capable of hosting international football and support wider regeneration of the Wrexham area.
Co-chairmen Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney said in a statement: 'We can move forward with the Kop Development, starting with the demolition of the existing structure. The derelict state of the Kop has long been an eyesore and we hope that by the start of the 2024/25 season, it will be brought back into use.' Demolition work is expected to begin within weeks.
The application for Levelling Up funding is set to be determined on November 30, 2022. Wrexham AFC strategic advisor Shaun Harvey said planning approval removes the last reason the government could have to refuse funding, as the project is now deliverable. The club has already purchased the freehold of the Racecourse Ground.
Fans have welcomed the news, with one supporter calling it 'great news for the club going forward' and another describing it as 'the rebirth of the Dragons'. The redevelopment aims to create a 'Stadium for the North' and has been backed by a petition with over 10,600 signatures.
