Hello! I've been reading the forum for years but this is my first time posting! As I can imagine is the case with a lot of us, I've been losing my mind from sheer boredom over lockdown. So as a means to combat the mental slog, I had a go at designing a new stadium! Just a "what if?". I've placed it on the location of the Old Birdseye site on Hessle Road and created a 3D render of Hull around it to give it a bit more perspective. It has a capacity of 17,700 and includes both seating and safe-standing areas. I'm not sure what the rules are for uploading photos from other sites, but I can't get images to show using the URL codes on here for some reasom. I've put a selection of images in this Google Photos folder if anyone does wanna check it out! https://photos.app.goo.gl/wwb7Hv4GT47afeQx9 Let me know what you think, if you have any suggestions, or if you have a few million lying about!

Hello! I've been reading the forum for years but this is my first time posting! As I can imagine is the case with a lot of us, I've been losing my mind from sheer boredom over lockdown. So as a means to combat the mental slog, I had a go at designing a new stadium! Just a "what if?". I've placed it on the location of the Old Birdseye site on Hessle Road and created a 3D render of Hull around it to give it a bit more perspective. It has a capacity of 17,700 and includes both seating and safe-standing areas. I'm not sure what the rules are for uploading photos from other sites, but I can't get images to show using the URL codes on here for some reasom. I've put a selection of images in this Google Photos folder if anyone does wanna check it out! https://photos.app.goo.gl/wwb7Hv4GT47afeQx9 Let me know what you think, if you have any suggestions, or if you have a few million lying about!

Very nice.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, is even more realistic.

Aye, no chance of anything like it happening. Like I said, just a "what if". I know people have speculated about it before and wanted to try and visualise it.

Nicely done and theoretically a good location - possibly only local location, lovely touch with the New 3d stand

There has to be considerations regards use, a single use stadium alone cannot make enough money with one team playing in it, it has to offer much more, conference/catering/education facilities, possibly even an attached hotel (that can be part of the conference/catering facilities) plus other shops including retail store for the club.

A 4g training ground (including gym) that can be used for academy games with a small stand possibly attached to the main stadium - so changing rooms all located in one area and run out to the training pitch direct from the main stadia.
To accommodate that the car park behind should be removed completely, with no through road to the residential area. There should be a huge discouragement to drive to the stadium excepting for those with a blue badge, encouragement to cycle/walk, use public transport, possibly putting on 'rugby' buses that go from the outer estate areas and back again, was it the no.73 that went from Bransholme - Sutton Park - Orchard Park - West Hull? maybe even possibly a train halt as there is already the rail line that runs back of Arco

Having that many cars come through a residential area is not a good thing and not really acceptable these days, there's enough of an issue with the huge fair ground and the disturbance it causes local residents now never mind localised pollution, alternates to private vehicle travel for games would have to be looked at and should be for where we are now.

If we ever have the chance of a new stadium, I'd be wanting to have 20,000 as a minimum, this means more likely to get internationals and other potential sporting events. I'm also not overly fond of the rectangular box stadium that is like the Halliwell Jones, I know they are cheaper to build than something like our current home but it makes the stadium IMO less appealing and exposes more to the weather for the fans, something similar to the KCom WITHOUT the upper tier in West, maybe variable standing/seating 'rail seats' in the centre of the 'cop' ends?

That's not a criticism of your efforts, they're great, just personal opinion of what I'd like to see if some extremely wealthy backer came in for us.
Small points regards the actual design, it looks like the Hessle road end stand is significantly further back from the pitch than the others and the front concourses could/ maybe be a bit narrower so that the seating is closer to the action. Though I love a nice deep in goal area it looks to be 10 metres, making it a few metres less could bring the fans a bit closer still and still have the run off area which is actually better than we have at the moment.
Also wonder if the stadium would fit with long sides East to West?

Throw away, tongue in cheek comment earlier, apologies.
Very impressive presentation. I’d also prefer the North Stand to be closer to the pitch and the corners covered. If it were to happen then the main approach road could lead directly off east bound carriageway of Clive Sullivan Way with a flyover on the railway directly into the car park. Westbound traffic could turn off at Hessle and approach using same access? Obviously egress would enter Clive Sully in and eastbound direction but I’m not sure if there is sufficient land availability to acquire this?

Nice one, cheers for the feedback! Agreed that if there was to be a complex built on site I'd hope for more than just a stadium and a giant car park. I did include a club shop and a ticket office on the south east corner though it isn't too clear from the pictures (my bad). A new sports complex with maybe a leisure centre would be a brilliant idea for the area and club. Though I don't agree the car park should be removed completely. Definitely scale it down, but we're not getting rid of cars any time soon and people are going to drive. Better to have a designated car park than have all the traffic parking in nearby residential areas.

In regards to traffic pollution and residential areas, the exit onto Handling Way would quickly be dispersed by Summergroves Way, which conveniently runs behind the rest of the residential estate, leading to the Priory Park A63 junction. Alternatively you could potentially extend Henry Boot Way on Priory Park to the south end of the site. Or, build a junction connecting directly onto Clive Sully Way. I did play with the idea of a walkway to a new train station and this junction to the A63 in an earlier design. Unfortunately I'm pretty new to the software and am using a trial version so I was running against the clock a bit.

Capacity size I thought 17-18k would be ideal. If anything too big. Over the years we're lucky to average 12,000 on a good season. Would just feel a bit daft moving from a half empty stadium that's too big for us, to another stadium that's too big for us, just for the off chance we might get an international game once every 2/3 years.

Personally I'm just not a fan of modern stadiums. Places like the KC, Wembley, The Emirates (bit of a leap in capacity, but similar style of stadia). Big modern bowls with no atmosphere. Would much prefer us moving to a proper terraced stadium with standing areas. Only need to go to Cas on an away day to hear what kind of atmosphere being in a terraced box with a few thousand Hull fans can generate. Those are the type of Rugby grounds I fell in love with as a kid. There's been a real purge of proper sporting grounds in this country for a while now, classic old stadia with bags of character replaced with modern bowls. Love the old box grounds. The North stand was designed to be an Away end, so me moving them a little further away was just a stupid little dig haha. You're right though that it would probably be best facing East to West. Can't have the away end being the "Hessle Road End".

Hoping to get the full version of the software soon so I can have a go at expanding on the idea. Not gonna go anywhere, but was a nice way to kill a few days in lockdown.

Cheers again for the feedback!

No worries at all mate! Its a total fairytale of an idea haha

I didn't mean all the car parking, just the rear car park which is massive, there's enough space there for a full on training facility, still leaves a significant sized parking area to the East side of the stadium which from my calculation is almost 50% greater than that at St.Helens ground currently.
Having a through road via the residential area to the West would likely be objected to, extending HB Way could be an option but would add on millions though might well end up happening in any case given the development of the green space that has already occurred in that area the last 10-20 years, it would be a better solution and thus no need to have any match day access via Hessle road which would create a huge safety problem.

All a pipe dream and we just have to make do with what we have, nice to dream though, carry on making new modelling, do a Kcom 90 degress to the one you'ce done if possible plus a training pitch at the side

Why don’t we just use the one that was getting built in Melton seeing as City are still playing at the KCOM. It must surely be finished by now especially seeing those big plans in Allams hands in the HDM be a shame to waste it..........


Wonder what happened to that idea.

In all seriousness though if we were to find an investor who would build a stadium the old Birds Eye site is probably the only area that’s a viable option.

Why do we need a new stadium? We are quite OK where we are, the old Birds Eye site, like Costello, is nowhere near where the club belongs.

It's a bit of fun, there's no way the club could move anywhere.

Personally I'd just like to see the Allam's/management company removed and the council to actually take back what is theirs, develop the stadium and surrounding area into a proper community facility and have elected people from the community and local authority involved with equal say as to what happens so that it benefits the city and surrounding communities as much as it could do.
If we didn't have the ball and chain of the Allam's, staying at West Park would be so much more palatable and we wouldn't be talking about having our own ground at all.
We fantasise about having x player but know full well that they wouldn't ever play for us in their prime, that doesn't stop us talking about it.

Exactly that and the bit in bold is probably how the majority see it.

Unfortunately the SMC should be a totally independent party with its role to provide a top class sports stadium for its two tenants and maximise the potential of the stadium. There would be nothing wrong with having some form of representation by either club as long as they had no decision making power etc.

The problem is with the Allams involved in the SMC they do not have to ability to be totally impartial and fair. The reality as has been proved that they are not adverse of using the stadium as a pawn when it suits.
Until things change and the Allams are no longer involved in the SMC the KCOM will always be a rocky road for Hull FC, fans, people of Hull and the Council as a whole.

The damage done by SMC/Allam's is massive, not just to FC as a club and the fans but much beyond that, whilst its not been a complete waste, the local authority washing their hands of their asset was shameful and has cost them and the tax payers significant sums year on year. I see it as a constant and gradual asset strip and deliberately and systematically devalue the asset you wish to acquire.
As of October 2020 financial report SMC has £16.2M debt, managed to create another £2M debt last year though that was actually lower than 2019 financial year!

First of all what a great projection that is and what great home it would make for us. Sadly it will never happen Costello was our best bet, but although a goer at one time, that didn't get that far at all.

As for the bit above in bold that was exactly what happened when the Stadium was first opened I actually attended a lot of meeting with residents and ward councillors from Walton Street Albert Avenue Selby St and St Georges Road as the council gauged what their involvement in the Stadium would be as it was built . They held meetings and social event in the stadium when it opened and there was a certain amount of involvement from the community and I honestly think they appreciated it. They in fact used the sports Hall a lot on a subsidised basis.

There were monthly meetings between the clubs the Council and the community to facilitate the partnership too. Both clubs provided tickets for these groups in the first couple of seasons as well. It was a model community stadium.

The problem was back then that although a lot of the officers and the community wanted the Council to run the venue and manage it there had been a change of political complexion in the City just before the KC was finished and the new Council's policy was that a management Company be put in to run it.

They believed that it was a fine idea in theory as it meant the council could pass on the maintenance of the stadium to the company but that was the sticking point. The Council put it out to tender but in practise there were a lot of new stadiums rock venues and arenas etc coming on stream across the country and none of the major companies felt the KC was a viable proposition to take on. The only solution was for the clubs to run it between them, but Richo didn't want to do it at all it wasn't his thing and so Adam took it on and set up the SMC. The trouble was it wasn't set up as a neutral separate company, economies of scale made it more sensible to set it up as part of Hull City. Back then everything was amiable and everyone got on. We had a 50 year lease (reviewed after 25 years [iand we should worry about that[/i) and so we were happy with the arrangement. At the time Richo and Adam got on really well and everything ran smoothly it was only when the SMC was sold on with City that the trouble started.

The dream of a community stadium was the ideal principle on which to base the facility which was in any case built with the communities money but it was, as an ethos destined to disappear. As has been said had we had a separate SMC everything would have been fine however without it we have had problems ever since Adam sold City, what's more whilst the current owners of Hull City are in place we always will have them.