Local planners have unanimously approved AFC Bournemouth’s expansion plans for the Vitality Stadium, paving the way for the Premier League’s smallest ground to grow from around 11,300 seats to more than 20,000.
Stadium Structures has already been appointed as preconstruction partner and main contractor after previously completing hospitality upgrade works at the stadium.
The contractor will now oversee a phased redevelopment programme designed to allow Bournemouth — known as the Cherries — to continue playing at the stadium throughout construction.
Central to the scheme is the demolition and reconstruction of the South Stand into a new 7,000-seat grandstand, alongside vertical and horizontal extensions to the North and East stands and the infilling of all four stadium corners.
However, the club has been forced to revise the construction sequence after planning approval was delayed later into May. Initial proposals aimed to deliver a new South Stand lower tier and corner infills ahead of the 2026/27 season, creating around 1,500 additional seats.
Under the updated programme, early works will instead focus on enabling and infrastructure upgrades, including utilities diversions, perimeter fencing, new turnstiles, outside broadcast facilities, revised pedestrian and cycle routes, and extensions to the West Stand wings. Hospitality refurbishments to the West and East stands will also proceed in parallel.
The club will additionally move forward with North-West and South-East corner infills, adding approximately 800 seats shortly after the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
The revised strategy means the existing South Stand will remain operational throughout next season, with upper-tier construction taking place during the campaign and lower-tier works beginning once the season concludes.