Alexander Stadium works 'on time and on programme '

Works to redevelop Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are “on time and on programme ”.

Dave Wagg, project and client manager, strategic sport, at Birmingham City Council, made the comments at a stakeholder event, attended by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, hosted by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games organising committee, Birmingham City Council and Arup.

He, alongside Paul Robertson, senior project manager at Mace, which is managing the revamp of the stadium, toured guests around the ongoing redevelopment works, which started in May.

Mr Wagg was brimming with confidence on the progress of works, and said: “We are on budget and we are on programme. We were set an original £72million budget to deliver this stadium, and we are in budget to deliver this stadium within that £72 million envelope.

“We were set a target of handing this over to the organising committee on 1 April 2022, and we still intend to do that. ”

To get the Alexander Stadium ready for sporting events in 2022, a new West Stand is being constructed, as well as new tiered seating to the north and south.

Permanent and temporary seating structures will bump seat capacity up to around 30,000 during the Games.

A new warm up and infield track will also be installed as part of works.

The facilities are intended to provide more accessible space to locals, after the Games ends, Mr Wagg said.

He said: “The open and accessible site that in legacy will rip away some of the black concrete and tarmac, and actually make it a stadium in a park setting, with running, cycling and walking routes, with security in mind for people to actually access. And that 's key.

“It is about informal sport on these areas, and about people wanting to come to the park, come in and out of the stadium and kick a football round, run, cycle or to do a yoga class. ”

Mr Robertson explained that the Games ' legacy starts with the ongoing construction works at the stadium.

He said: “A huge amount of investment has gone in from the Birmingham City Council, and the project team, to supporting local groups, communities and vulnerable people on how the construction works can benefit those groups.

“We talk about this legacy, the legacy starts from this construction site at the moment. We are upskilling people, we are getting people into work. ”

Funding for the Alexander Stadium Redevelopment comes from three sources: Birmingham City Council ( £27.4million), the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership ( £20million) and West Midlands Combined Authority ( £25million). The overall project cost is part of the local contribution to the overall Commonwealth Games budget ( £184million of the £778million total).