Daylight & Sunlight Villa Park
Aston Villa F.C. appointed Anstey Horne to provide specialist Daylight & Sunlight Villa Park consultancy. Our role was to deliver robust technical analysis and strategic guidance, ensuring that the redevelopment proposals met the highest professional standards and could proceed confidently through planning.
Villa Park, the historic home of Aston Villa F.C., is undergoing a major redevelopment to expand capacity and modernise facilities. In August 2025, Birmingham City Council approved plans to redevelop the North Stand, increasing the stadium’s capacity to nearly 49,000 seats and preparing it to host matches at UEFA Euro 2028.
The Challenge - Daylight & Sunlight Villa Park
Redeveloping a stadium such as Villa Park presents unique technical challenges. The expansion of the North Stand required careful consideration of daylight and sunlight impacts, ensuring that the scheme satisfied planning expectations while supporting the club’s vision of a world-class venue.
Anstey Horne was engaged to provide daylight and sunlight expertise tailored to the scale and prominence of Villa Park. Our advice needed to be both practical - guiding the design process - and rigorous, offering detailed technical evidence capable of supporting the planning application.
Our Approach
Working directly with Aston Villa F.C. and the architects at Grimshaw, we adopted a twofold methodology:
1. Strategic Early Advice
- Provided input during the development of design options for the North Stand.
- Assessed potential design scenarios to embed daylight and sunlight considerations at the outset.
- Ensured the expansion was shaped with a proactive approach to daylight and sunlight impacts.
2. Detailed Technical Analysis
- Undertook comprehensive modelling in line with industry guidance.
- Produced evidence-based reports to support the planning submission.
- Delivered clear recommendations, giving Aston Villa the assurance needed to progress with confidence.
This combined approach ensured that daylight and sunlight matters were managed seamlessly from early design through to the formal planning process.
The Outcome
On 28 August 2025, Birmingham City Council’s planning committee approved the North Stand redevelopment at Villa Park. The expansion will not only increase capacity to almost 49,000 seats but also contribute significantly to Birmingham’s preparation for Euro 2028, with an estimated £190 million socio-economic boost for the region.
Anstey Horne’s daylight and sunlight consultancy was integral in supporting Aston Villa’s vision, providing the technical expertise required to deliver a successful planning outcome.
Key Takeaways
- Direct appointment by Aston Villa F.C. highlights confidence in our daylight and sunlight expertise.
- Daylight & Sunlight Villa Park advice was a crucial component in achieving planning approval.
- Planning consent in 2025 secures Villa Park’s transformation into a world-class venue for Euro 2028.
- Anstey Horne continues to demonstrate its ability to deliver specialist advice on complex, large-scale redevelopment projects.
Conclusion - Daylight & Sunlight Villa Park
The redevelopment of Villa Park marks a milestone for Aston Villa and the city of Birmingham. By providing robust and reliable daylight and sunlight advice, we supported the successful approval of the North Stand expansion, ensuring the stadium is ready to meet the demands of Euro 2028 and beyond.
This case study demonstrates how our expertise in Daylight & Sunlight at Villa Park provided the certainty needed for one of the most significant stadium projects in the UK.
Contact - Daylight & Sunlight Villa Park
For details of our specialist Daylight & Sunlight surveyors near you see our London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Norwich & Plymouth office details.
For more details on all aspects of daylight & sunlight advice see the collection of articles in our blog.
For advice on rights of light or daylight & sunlight direct from one of our surveyors, please call our Daylight & Sunlight Enquiry Line on 020 4534 3138.
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Matthew Grant
BA (Hons) MScLL
Senior Director
Rights to Light
London
Dan Fitzpatrick
BSc (Hons)
Director
Rights to Light
Plymouth