As work gathers pace around the STōK Cae Ras, the club has been tying together several strands needed to advance the new Kop project.
Grant Funding Agreement
Over recent months, long-running discussions to secure the land behind the old stand have moved forward. Wrexham University’s plot has now been purchased. Talks with the Welsh Government are also close to a conclusion. These parcels complete the development’s footprint. Alongside this, the Club and Wrexham County Borough Council have finalised the Grant Funding Agreement. This has already supported earlier stadium upgrades and will now contribute to elements of the Kop build.
With these pieces falling into place, the Club has asked the Wrexham Supporters Trust (WST) to begin the formal steps to surrender its lease of the STōK Cae Ras. Members of the WST had already supported this in principle, subject to safeguards ensuring the stadium remains home to the men’s first team. The Club has expressed gratitude to the Trust for its patience as the surrounding work reached this stage.
Crispin Lane
Construction activity on site resumed at the end of September, when McLaren Construction returned to begin enabling works. Their task is to prepare the ground for the main contract phase. Some of that preparation began earlier, before the end of last season. The dismantling of part of the temporary stand allowed contractors to install the new pitch. Builders moved materials to the Kop side throughout the works. Once they completed the playing surface, they then removed the remaining temporary stand.
An important obstacle – the live power cable crossing the Kop site – was dealt with over the summer. The construction of a new substation serving the nearby student accommodation between April and late August allowed the removal of the old cable and the clearance of the ground. With this done, excavation could begin. The removal of around a metre of soil will create a level base for a piling mat, which will support the machinery needed to form the foundations of the new stand. Additional tasks include repositioning the site entrance gates to improve the flow of large vehicles and installing updated hoarding along Crispin Lane.
International Fixtures
While permission for the Kop build is already in place, one restriction remains. Owing to national planning policy, only 5,500 of the planned seats will be available until Wrexham County Borough Council approves an increase in occupancy to 7,500. Once that approval comes through, the stadium’s overall capacity will rise to more than 18,000.
The expanded ground should strengthen North Wales’ ability to host high-profile international fixtures. A shared effort involving the FA of Wales, the Wrexham Gateway Partnership, Wrexham Council and the Club has reinforced the commitment to bringing international football to the STōK Cae Ras for years to come.
The Club has placed on record its appreciation for everyone involved so far. This includes Wrexham University, the Welsh Government, Wrexham Supporters Trust, Wrexham Gateway Partnership, Wrexham County Borough Council and the FA of Wales.
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