The changing location of football stadiums

Elm Park Stadium– In town (west Reading) Capacity: 15,500 after Taylor Report Record attendance 33,042 Local buses to main railway station Nearby local Reading West railway station Limited car parking on site but multi-storey car parks near to town centre Limited land available for expansion Elm Park Stadium 1896 -1998 Madejski Stadium- Outskirts of the town Capacity: 24,161 (all seated) Shuttle bus from Reading Station to stadium Proposed rail link from station to nearby Green Park Conference Centre: one room x 700 & 4 x 100 Luxury hotel Jazz café – live music in East Stand Radio Station: Reading 107 in East Stand Limited on-site parking but over 1500 spaces in nearby off-site parking Next to Jcn 11 on M4 Madejski Stadium 1998 - present

In 1994, the Taylor Report made all-seater stadiums compulsory in the top two divisions (the Premier League and the first division). Reading were champions of the second division in 1994, and were promoted to the first division. Reading became subject to the Taylor requirements, though converting Elm Park to an all-seater stadium would have been impractical.[5] Instead, a location in Smallmead (to the south of the town) was identified as the site for a new stadium.[5] The former council landfill site was bought for £1, with further conditions that the development of the stadium would include part-funding of the A33 relief road.[8] Expansion of the club's home would also allow alternative commercial ventures (particularly leisure facilities) and shared use with other teams (such as rugby union clubs Richmond and London Irish).[8] The last competitive match at Elm Park took place on 3 May 1998.

Reading FC unveils homes and leisure development at Madejski Stadium Radical plans for a leisure complex at Reading Football Club's Madesjki Stadium have gone on public display. Proposals for Royal Elm Park include 600 homes, a park and an ice rink but parking spaces will be slashed by 1,000 to 800. There will also be a "large public realm square" for "public displays and fun engagements", according to the club's chief executive Nigel Howe The club hope to start building next year with completion in 2018 or 2019. Reading FC unveils homes and leisure development at Madejski Stadium Currently, the site contains the stadium, a hotel and a conference centre. Mr Howe said: "This is about engaging this part of Reading in more activities to give Reading itself a bigger brand." An 800-space multi-storey car park would replace the 1,800 spaces that would be built on. To offset this reduction, Mr Howe said there were plans to bring the completion date of nearby Green Park station forward, a "subsidised transport plan" and off-site car parking. Richard Langley, vice chairman of Supporters Trust At Reading (STAR), said: "It sounds like a very big complex and it's good, in our opinion, if it's good for the club. "We see this as a positive, providing they do go ahead with the improved transport links and the multi-storey."

Smallmead Landfill Site Area used for Madejski Stadium - Brownfield Site

Area of residential development Elm Park - today Area of residential development (houses and flats) Brownfield site