Leeds Rhinos Confirm South Stand Redevelopment

The Headingley Carnegie Stadium is set to see some changes over the autumn, with the Leeds Rhinos unveiling plans to redevelop the iconic South Stand.

The rugby club intends to demolish the existing stand in August, in preparation for construction to begin in September. However, the decision to revamp this section of the stadium means a historic structure at the ground will be going.

Fans have been able to watch their team play from this stand since 1931, with it undergoing a refurbishment in 2000. The final home game where fans will be able to watch from the stand as it is now will take place on 18 August.

Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington said that demolishing the existing stand will be emotional, describing it as “the heartbeat of our club for nearly a century”.

However, he added that the club is “excited about the future and the modern facilities we will be able to offer our supporters moving forward”.

The whole project is expected to be completed by the end of spring 2019, and there will be elements of the South Stand that are available next season. Some fans have expressed concerns about the nature of the development, but the club has reassured them that the new design will be sympathetic to its heritage.

It revealed that the club’s heritage committee is involved in the process of redesigning the South Stand to ensure it doesn’t lose its atmosphere. The club added: “The thing that makes the South Stand so special is the people in it.”

For such a large project, the rugby club is likely to need assistance with concrete reinforcement in Leeds during the construction phase, as well as help with other elements of the project.