Vitality Stadium transformation underway as AFC Bournemouth's big expansion begins

Anyone walking past Kings Park lately will have noticed the Vitality Stadium is in the middle of a serious transformation.

AFC Bournemouth's home ground has become a building site, with scaffolding up around the stands and the first signs of a project that will almost double its capacity.

The work marks the start of the club's biggest-ever stadium expansion, which will take capacity from around 11,300, currently the smallest in the Premier League, to more than 20,000. New black seats have already gone into parts of the north stand, side panelling has come off while work continues, and a new cycle route is being laid to curve around an outside broadcast compound going in behind the south stand.

BCP Council gave the main scheme the green light in May, following approval of the earlier enabling works back in January. Those first works cover the broadcast compound, a new perimeter fence with turnstiles, and the foundations for a brand-new south stand.

This summer's phase will see two corners of the ground filled in and construction begin on the new south stand, built behind the current one, which stays open for next season. The outdoor terraces of Bubbles and Champions in the main stand will also be covered over as the wider project gathers pace.

Once finished, the ground will have gained capacity in all four corners, extensions to the north and east stands, and that new south stand. The project has also been phased with the aim of keeping every home game at Kings Park throughout the build, rather than moving matches elsewhere.

It's a big moment for a club on a remarkable run, having reached European football for the first time in its 127-year history. The stadium, it seems, is being built to match the ambition.

You can follow the project at afcb.co.uk.