Sheffield FC and Sheffield Eagles submit plans for 'ambitious' new stadium
If it goes ahead, it'll see a 5000-capacity 'inclusive community stadium' based at the former Sheffield Transport Sports Club at Meadowhead
The world's first football club - Sheffield FC - alongside the rugby side the Sheffield Eagles - are jointly submitting a full planning application to the city council for a new stadium.
If it goes ahead, it'll see a 5000-capacity 'inclusive community stadium' based at the former Sheffield Transport Sports Club at Meadowhead.
This new stadium is also hoped to mark the forging of a close partnership between Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield FC, with the 'ambitious' plans encompassing professional football and rugby league facilities as well as a cricket pavilion, multi-use artificial sports pitches, a football museum and an indoor community sports hall.
It'll also host a plethora of community and well-being activities, educational programmes, social and other community events. In addition, park-and-ride facilities will be available within the development.
In addition to both club’s men’s and women’s teams, Sheffield Eagles Wheelchair, Learning Disability and Physical Disability teams will all be based at the complex, under the plans.
Chairman of Sheffield FC Richard Tims said: “This development will not be just another shared rugby and football ground. It will be a new destination for Sheffield Eagles and ‘The World’s First Football Club’ Sheffield FC.
“Whilst the site will be grounded firmly in the unique history and heritage of both clubs, including Sheffield’s status as the ‘Home of Football’, it will also be an exciting destination for sport, physical activity, business, educational, cultural, and other events that will attract local, regional, national, and international audiences.
“We plan on creating a vibrant destination on both the days when Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield FC teams are playing in the stadium, as well as on non-match days through a busy diary of community, social and other activities such as conferences and meetings, functions and cultural activities.
“We want to create a destination that attracts and grows the supporter bases of both Sheffield Eagles and Sheffield FC, as well as drawing local communities and visitors to the various events and activities throughout the year.
“The stadium has the potential to generate positive economic development, social, and community impacts for the visitor economy of Sheffield and the wider City Region by attracting additional expenditure as well as raising the profile of sport in Sheffield in the UK and internationally.”
Sheffield Eagles Director of Rugby Mark Aston said: “We’re very excited to have reached the milestone of submitting our planning permission application for the development of the Meadowhead site which will give us the facilities we need to not only achieve our ambitions to return to Super League, but also to give us a base from which to grow our already extensive community programme.
“The feedback from both sets of fans and networks of sponsors has been overwhelmingly positive and everyone sees the potential of both clubs being unlocked with the facilities which are being planned for, which will be world-class.
“We have also had very positive feedback from our governing body, the Rugby Football League, who are supportive of our plans and see how the development can benefit both the Rugby League in Sheffield and on a national basis.
“It’s a great piece of news to kick off our 40th Anniversary Year with and we look forward to continuing our work with Sheffield FC on the next stage of the project.”