Peel puts out tender for Salford City Reds stadium

Construction of the new stadium in Barton for Salford City Reds RFC moved a step closer at the weekend with the publication of the brief for contractors bidding for the £15m build.

The stadium will occupy a 45 acre site next to Peel's Port Salford and is being built by a joint venture of Peel and Salford City Council.

The detailed contract brief describes a 12,000 to 15,000 capacity stadium with room to expand to 20,000 capacity. As well as the Super League pitch there will be two community pitches, one of them all-weather, community changing facilities and parking for 500 cars and 20 coaches.

The site is bounded to the north by the A57, to the east by the elevated M60 Barton Bridge and Eccles Water Treatment Works, and to the south by the Manchester Ship Canal.

The council has supported the scheme with grants and planning consents to try and enable Salford City Reds to maintain Super League status.

A report discussed by the council's cabinet in December stated: "To help enable Salford City Reds RFL club to retain their RFL Super League franchise better facilities are required. The current stadium at The Willows is not of a standard appropriate to a premier rugby club. It restricts the ability of the club to generate income to compete against the top teams in the Super League."

The stadium is scheduled to be completed in 2012.