Building work has started on the Stacey West redevelopment project to create a brand new Lincoln City Foundation Skills & Education Hub as well as a number of other key infrastructure improvements to the LNER Stadium.
Funding for the £2.5 million development, which is expected to be completed in Summer 2024, has come from the Be Lincoln Town Deal, which has contributed £800k, Football Foundation, EFL Stadia Fund, Youth Investment Fund and Lincolnshire Co-operatuve as well as almost £400k from the Stacey West Investment Bond.
This multi-agency funded build will see a new two-storey extension to the existing stand providing Lincoln City Foundation with the facilities and space to expand its vital social impact work in the local community. In addition, the stadium will benefit from a new mains water supply, increased power supply and a state-of-the-art pitch irrigation recycling system. This will coincide with the club’s ongoing plans to invest in safer standing solutions in both the Stacey West stand and a section of the GBM stand.
Caroline Killeavy, Town Deal board member, said: “The Community Hub coming from the Stacey West development will be hugely beneficial for those who live in the wider county, the city and the local community in Sincil Bank.
“The Be Lincoln Town Deal is proud to support the project and we can’t wait to see works progress.”
The Stacey West stand holds a special place in the hearts of every Imps fan serving as a permanent memorial to Bill Stacey and Jim West who along with 54 Bradford City fans lost their lives in the 1985 Valley Parade tragedy. Trevor Stacey, Bill’s son, was on hand to place the first spade in the ground and mark the start of an exciting new chapter for the club.
Trevor was joined by representatives from the many grant funding agencies including Karl McCartney MP, Cllr Donald Nannestad(deputy leader of the City Council), Misha Chotai (Youth Investment Fund), Sam Turner (Lincolnshire Co-op) and Rob Bradley (Red Imps Community Trust), as well as City chief executive Liam Scully and Foundation chief executive Martin Hickerton.
Martin said: “This is a really key moment for the club, and particularly the Foundation, as we can start to see our new home truly becoming a reality. The need for our services has never been greater, and this expanded space means we can continue our growth to help those in our communities.”
