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Football club 'agrees to buy' land for expansion

Mark Bulstrode/BBC Portman Road, as seen from New Portman Road car park. The two-tier stadium can be seen in the background, with its black roof and white supporting columns outside. In the foreground are cars parked in a car park on a cloudy day.Mark Bulstrode/BBC
Ipswich Town could be set to purchase some of New Portman Road car park, as part of a stadium expansion plan

Ipswich Town has an "in-principle agreement" to buy a large parcel of land behind its Portman Road stadium, a council said.

The Premier League club would acquire part of a car park behind the Cobbold Stand if a deal was completed.

It followed Tractor Boys' chief executive Mark Ashton telling The Athletic expanding the two-tier stand was a medium to long-term ambition.

Ipswich Borough Council said an outline agreement was in place but the specific terms were "yet to be finalised". The club has been contacted for comment.

The local authority outlined its own plan in March to redevelop other parts of the New Portman Road car park and build a new aquatics centre.

The Cobbold Stand at Portman Road. The seats are blue and there is a long black roof separating the upper and lower tiers. To the right are Fortuna Dusseldorf supporters who have filled a quarter of the upper tier. They are mostly wearing red. To the right are the Ipswich fans, who have filled the half of the stand they are allocated. A corner of the pitch can be seen in the bottom left corner of the picture.
Seats in the lower tier of the Cobbold Stand were removed and replaced over the summer

Land earmarked for development by the football club stretched deep into the existing parking area, fan magazine TWTD reported.

The council said it was an "exciting project and partnership" between itself and the club.

"The Portman Road masterplan features plans for an aquatics centre, a multi-storey car park, a hotel and designated space for Ipswich Town Football Club's development and expansion," a spokesman said.

The council previously said the alignment of Portman Road itself could be changed to allow for the redevelopment.

A black, two-tier building with a glass facade in a corner of Portman Road. It has the Ipswich Town FC crest on it and lots of people standing around it. There are stands either side of the building, all with blue seats.
A new TV studio was also opened at Portman Road at the start of the season

Constructed in 1971, the Cobbold Stand is the oldest stand at the stadium and it accommodates home fans and up to 3,000 away supporters.

Club bosses oversaw 104 projects during the summer to prepare the ground for its first Premier League season in 24 years.

It included the introduction of some 'safe standing' areas in the Cobbold Stand and a new TV studio and gantries.

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