Because of Kop-Expansion: Are you referring to the A 5089 road directly behind the Kop, or the houses between Venmore and Hartnup Street including the church, or the general traffic capacities to transport a larger capacity of perhaps 70.000?
Once you go over a designated point (which we’re currently just shy of with the extended capacity) you need to ensure there’s a direct link to the ground by way of a transport system which is typically rail, whether train/underground/tram.
Other things will also be taken into account such as:
1) Acoustics - if changes are made in design, the acoustics held within the ground are likely to change. For example - if we filled the corners in and linked up the stands for extra seats - the sound would travel differently and this is something we’ve been keen not to affect.
2) What would be required to expand the Kop, road links would be required to be closed for any expansion along with the businesses in direct distance of the Kop, including two pubs at least that are often jammed on match days.
A cost benefit analysis might rule out the overall benefit to the club of an expansion, yes you might get a few extra thousand seats but the amount of other work required such a traffic management etc. might outweigh the overall benefit.
3) You would also likely see most hospitality options impacted in an expansion of the KD stand or the Kop which again would see a decrease in match day revenue which would need taking into account.
Overall the main issue is transport though, until that could be accounted for we’re not doing any further expansion. Cost of bringing direct links will be fairly large and likely the club if the consider it would be looking at the council to share the cost I would imagine.
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