English Premier League football club Southampton has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Southampton City Council to explore the redevelopment of the St Mary’s Waterfront area, including expansion of its stadium.
The two parties said the “landmark collaboration” announced today (Friday) aims to create a premier sports, leisure, and entertainment offer along the South Coast, benefiting residents, visitors, and the broader community.
The MoU establishes a framework for joint planning and development, as the club and Council work together to transform the Itchen Riverside and St Mary’s Waterfront district into a vibrant, year-round destination. Both parties aim to enhance the area’s economic potential while promoting sustainability, social value, and accessibility.
The shared vision includes:
• Expanding St Mary’s Stadium and developing the surrounding areas to accommodate future growth, establishing it as a key entertainment destination on the South Coast.
• Enhanced transport and infrastructure plans to improve connectivity, making it easier for residents and visitors to access the waterfront area.
• A mixed and balanced community that includes commercial, leisure, residential, and accessible public spaces that enhance the quality of life for local people and attract new visitors and investment.
• Sustainability and environmental initiatives aligned with Southampton’s Green City Plan.
Under the MoU, Southampton FC and Southampton City Council will collaborate on a range of initiatives such as future development, transport improvements, and overall community engagement. Both organisations said they are committed to working openly and in close co-operation with local partners to achieve mutual goals that reflect the interests of the Southampton community.
The MoU’s objectives will be reviewed regularly, allowing flexibility for emerging opportunities and ensuring the project’s goals continue to meet the needs of Southampton’s residents and businesses.
“This Memorandum of Understanding is a crucial step in ensuring the future success of both Southampton Football Club and the city of Southampton,” said Phil Parsons, CEO of Southampton FC.
“For the club to thrive and survive in the Premier League, we must increase our revenue streams, and developing the St Mary’s Waterfront area is central to achieving that. In turn, a successful football club at the highest level brings enormous benefits to the city, including increased tourism, investment, and civic pride.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Council for their proactive and committed approach to this partnership. Their vision for developing the area and improving the city aligns perfectly with our ambition to establish Southampton as a leading destination for sport, leisure, and entertainment.”
Lorna Fielker, Leader of Southampton City Council added: “This is an exciting first step in bringing forward a unified vision for Southampton’s future. We are working with our partners and key stakeholders across the city to deliver on our aspirations and are delighted to be working with Southampton FC to support what for many people represents the pride of the city.”
The partnership announced today is part of the broader Southampton Renaissance strategy, which seeks to attract investment and boost the local economy. Following promotion back to the Premier League this season, Southampton FC has been engaged in efforts to enhance the St. Mary’s Stadium experience.
Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur is set to see the opening of The Dell, a new pub-themed space named after the club’s former home stadium. The Dell will be open from 9am to 11pm, Monday through Saturday, and 10am to 9pm on Sundays.
In June, the club was given the green light to develop new fan zones and big screens outside St Mary’s Stadium, while earlier this year plans were unveiled to install a new safe standing area in the Northam Stand.
St Mary’s Stadium opened in August 2001 after being built for £32m (€38.6m/($40.5m) and has a capacity of 32,000.
