08 November 2023 , 10:00
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Wrexham's plans for a plush 5,500 seater stand at the Racecourse Ground have suffered a setback with the local council wishing to reduce that number.
Ever since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over the club they've made no secret of wanting to rebuild the stadium's famous Kop Stand - which has remained unused for years. Plans were unveiled in May, with work commencing in early June after Wrexham's historic promotion to League Two.
As well as putting extra bums on seats, the stand is set to feature a hospitality suite, retail space and facilities for the Wrexham AFC Community Trust. The introduction of the stand means the stadium will also meet Uefa's Category 4 status and be allowed to host international games.
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In June 2022, co-chairmen Reynolds and McElhenney pleaded with the Wrexham council and Welsh government to get the job authorised. In a joint statement, they said: "Back in February 2021, when we first became custodians of the Club, it was identified that reverting the Racecourse Ground to a four-sided stadium was a priority for us.
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"The desire to achieve this objective has only been multiplied by the fact that the sold-out signs were a regular feature at the Racecourse Ground, and we want the Club to be accessible to everyone, so the increased capacity is key to achieving this.
"We would encourage everyone to support the planning application when it is submitted and would like to thank Wrexham Council, Welsh Government & Wrexham Glyndwr University (together the Gateway Partnership) who are fully committed to making the new Kop a reality."
Wrexham's new fancy Kop Stand (WrexhamAFC/WALES NEWS SERVICE)
It seems Wrexham's stand will be smaller than what their Hollywood owners had hoped for (WrexhamAFC/WALES NEWS SERVICE)But those pleas have only gone so far with local councillors rejecting the plans based on environmental grounds. They fear the level of of phosphate from the building work will flow into the local rivers, therefore polluting the water.
Despite planning permission being agreed more than a year ago, and councillors still happy for a 4,900 seater stand to exist, it is a blow for Reynolds and McElhenney who targeted the extra 600.
A statement on the refusal read: "The council hereby confirms that it considers the amendments, as described in the application, to be material. Your application for a non-material amendment to the above-mentioned planning permission is refused.
"The applicant is advised that there is no right of appeal against the council’s refusal to grant this non-material amendment. The applicant is advised to contact the council to discuss other options and procedures for making the desired changes to the existing planning permission. The applicant is advised to contact the council’s head of community wellbeing and development prior to the preparation of detailed plans."
The new stand is set to be unveiled ahead of the 2024/25 season.