Swansea City: Liberty Stadium 11,000 expansion plan

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How the ground currently looks and how it will look after the expansion
Image caption,

How the ground currently looks (top) and how it will look after the expansion

Swansea City are looking to expand the size of the Liberty Stadium to cater for the huge demand for Premier League football.

The club have submitted plans to increase the capacity, which from next season will be 22,500, to around 33,000.

If backed by Swansea council, work will be carried out over three phases.

The club have included how they will handle the extra traffic that an increased capacity will bring.

In a statement, the club said: "The works proposed would see the extension of the North, South and East stands of the stadium in a phased manner over the next three to five years.

"The proposals seek to capitalise on the success of the football club during their first two seasons in the Barclays Premier League, help consolidate this status and remain part of the top flight for many years to come.

"Works that are proposed for the stadium would look to increase its capacity by approximately 11,000 spectators."

Phase one could begin at the end of next season and would see the East Stand capacity increased by 3,844 which does not include completing the corner sections. The other two phases would follow.

The Liberty Stadium is currently the second smallest ground in the Premier League at 20,500, behind Queens Park Rangers' 18,500 Loftus Road home.

The Swans are selling out every match at the Liberty, which is also the home of the Ospreys regional rugby team and opened in 2005.

Under separate plans, the club intends to increase the stadium's capacity to 22,500 in time for the start of next season by making changes in the West Stand that will also see new media and hospitality facilities.

Work is also underway on new training facility near the ground in Landore which as well as a main training base and academy in Fairwood.

Swansea have enjoyed a successful first two seasons in the Premier League and in February won their first major trophy, the Capital One Cup, earning them a place in next season's Europa League.

Last week, the club announced a record £15.9m net profit for the six months up to the end of November 2012.