Buckingham Group Contracting has been appointed to develop the new Barwell Stand for the Northampton Saints next summer.

Work will begin on the Barwell Stand immediately after the end of the current campaign, with the seating and control room expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2015/16 Aviva Premiership season and the hospitality boxes and Sturtridge Suite open in December 2015.

The £6 million development will complete the stadium bowl and increase capacity to approximately 15,500 with state-of-the-art amenities that will maintain Franklin’s Gardens’ place as the best dedicated rugby facility in the country.

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Saints chairman Tony Hewitt said: "Buckingham Group has built some outstanding sports stadiums in the UK, and we are confident that they will do the same here at Franklin’s Gardens and ensure that the Barwell Stand is something that we can be proud of."

Enabling works were undertaken in the summer of 2014 to help ensure that the development would remain on time during what will be a tight building schedule. These included a geotechnical investigation, relocating the stadium’s electricity sub-station, and removing the Shrubbery, including the planting of two new trees to replace those which have been lost.

Designed by Peter Haddon Partners the Barwell Stand will replace the Sturtridge Pavilion at the north end of the stadium.

(CD)