Upgrading the South Terrace, Arsenal Football Grounds, London

The first phase of the development work at Arsenal Football Club, London, as part of the general upgrading of the facilities at its ground, was to build a complex of three utility blocks over the existing terrace on the south side of the field. The work on site commenced in August 1988. Initially, no work envisaged on the terrace itself except the installation of column supports for the new structures. However, before the construction had been completed, Lord Justice Taylor's report following the 1989 disaster at Hillsborough Stadium came out with its recommendation to change all terraces in existing stands to seated areas within a specific time. The club, therefore, had to abandon the original idea of retaining the terrace for use and plan instead for the necessary conversion work.