Town have announced that the new North Stand will definitely be built. The board made the final decision last week and in twelve months time Portman Road will have a capacity of 30,000, the level thought to be the minimum a Premiership side should have to exist comfortably.

Town chairman David Sheepshanks set-up up a waiting list to check whether their was the need for a new stand and this seems to have told him there is. Last summer Town reportedly had to turn down 9,000 season ticket applications, although there was concern that some of these applicants were people merely getting carried away on post-Wembley fever. However, it seems that these were in the minority.

David Sheepshanks said: "At our board meeting last week we have decided to proceed with our planning application for a new North Stand as soon as possible in the hope that building can be started this closed season."

Of the building work itself the Town chairman said: "This is a complex design considering the limited space constraints. However, we have appointed HOK Sport, one of the leading stadium architects in the world, who are now working closely with Ipswich Borough Council and other authorities to make this project work."

The area around the ground will also have building work going ahead. A new multi-storey car park and hotel are to be built on the Cattlemarket car park.

Photo: Action Images

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