Albion reveals plans for 300 extra seats at The Hawthorns

The club wants to move the matchday control room, in the Smethwick End, to the north west corner of the stadium.

This would free up space for an extra 300 seats in that stand, officials said. The ground's current capacity is 26,586.

The north west corner is the west stand/Brummie corner. This would not affect any seating in that area, the club said today. The Baggies had made an application to Sandwell Council for building regulations to allow work to go ahead, but the authority said the application was not necessary and the club could proceed.

Mark Miles, the club's head of facility operations and development, said: "We are looking to relocate the matchday control room to the north west area of the stadium, which would provide the safety operations team with enhanced facilities, including an improved vantage point to monitor any developments inside of The Hawthorns.

"Along with other minor works, moving the control room should also allow the club to add up to 300 seats to the stadium's capacity." John Homer, chairman of West Bromwich Albion supporters' club said: "If this means the club can gain an extra 300 seats, than that is extra revenue for the club."

It comes after the club also submitted plans to demolish damaged parts of The Hawthorns pub, formerly The Hawthorns Hotel, on Birmingham Road, to allow the rest of the building to be used again. The former fans' favourite pre-match drinking venue is Grade II-listed and dates back to the 1900s.

It has become dilapidated and vandalised since its closure.

West Bromwich Albion, which owns the venue, is in talks to turn it into a drive-through coffee shop.

The firm involved in those talks has not yet been revealed.

The proposal is to clear the 1903 east wing of the venue and its 20th century extensions because of the poor state into which they have fallen in recent years.