Preventing own goals during football stadium construction

Football stadiums are the homes to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows – but before they are packed out with fans, the first goal a club needs to score is securing planning permission.

That is no easy task given the sheer scale of projects, the geographical restrictions and the significant impact works can have on local people.

As England prepares for EUROs glory and another domestic football season, we look deeper at the challenges stadium projects can face.

Identifying land

Football is tribal. The loyalties of fans to their club and their town or city are hugely important – which means potential stadium moves can quickly kick up a stir.

If a club isn’t lucky enough to have enough space to redevelop their existing stadium, a move needs to be carefully planned to mitigate possible backlash.

Many of England’s most iconic stadia were built at a time when prime land in an urban centre wasn’t so much of a premium – although today, arenas are more commonly placed a sizeable distance away.

Examples include Reading’s move from Elm Park to the Madejski, and Colchester United’s from Layer Road to Colchester Community Stadium.

Such moves don’t just mean a club needs to carefully communicate its plan with fans, but also its new neighbours where they plan to develop.

Serious consideration also needs to be made regarding travel links to ensure fans have easy access to and from the stadium while mitigating disruption on the roads.

Community relations

In today's age, stadium construction can take the form of multi-billion-pound megaprojects – but regardless of a project’s size, the importance of good community relations remains.

As with all projects, this starts with effective stakeholder communications and liaison.

At Urban Thinking, we use digital mapping technology to better understand the areas impacted by construction projects and develop effective communications strategies tailored to their unique demographic.

That often includes letter drops, of which we guarantee 100% delivery.

Mitigating noise

Megaprojects are noisy. While noise cannot be stopped in its entirety, it can be effectively mitigated to reduce its impact on the health and wellbeing of the public – who could stop your works in its tracks should they complain.

It’s important to put across your approach to noise mitigation early in the planning process. That can include applying for a Section 61 agreement under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, outlining the source of noise from your work and how you plan to combat it.

A better understanding of noise is made possible through our noise monitoring service. This sees us model and map your worksite and the surrounding area to determine the best locations to spot check your noise impact on local residents. It can also help us provide practical recommendations for noise mitigation.

Complaints 

Unfortunately, even with the most robust planning and stringent protocols put in place, complaints can still arise.

Whether that’s due to noise, dust or traffic disruption, it’s important to have an effective complaints management system in place.

A customer-focused approach helps significantly reduce the risks of complaints causing disruption to your project.

Our expert call centres handle enquiries from stakeholders with the aim of ensuring they feel heard and working towards a resolution satisfactory to both them and our client.

In need of support?

At Urban Thinking, we are renowned for helping get projects over the line for our clients through our stringent and effective planning support.

From traffic management to noise abatement and stakeholder communications to public relations, our expert team is here to help.

Contact us today to learn more.