The new year is upon us on we are firmly in to 2016 – the year of Mill Farm!

With the stadium set to open in the summer, much has happened since the last update before Christmas, but we will leave it to Adrian Atkinson, Commercial Director at Warden Construction, to fill you in on the key details…

“There has been plenty of progress recently. We finished all the concrete flooring before Christmas, which was significant for us. Normally they would have finished on the Friday before Christmas but they came in the following week because we were very keen to get that completed.

“We are still struggling with the wild weather, but we have been taking measures to help protect the work areas from the elements. This involves temporary sheeting on the side of the stand that is open to it so that we can continue work inside.

“The brick layers are well underway now on each end of the West Stand. We have a plant room at one end and a switch room at the other and they are vital so that the mechanical and electrical services can start. On the inside the internal partitioning has begun.

“Work on the East Stand has kicked on quite considerably in the last few weeks. They managed to change their system of work on that stand so that they didn’t have to use the big crane. This was to avoid the delays that the wind inevitably causes. They are just waiting now for the concrete terracing to be lifted in.

“The floodlight stanchions are now in and tower over the East Stand for anyone who drives past to see. They are certainly eye-catching.

“Another key one for us – and this is due to start at the end of the month – is getting the pitch ready.

“A lot of work has been re-sequenced to try and counteract the effect of the weather and the target is still to be playing football there in the summer.”

Photo courtesy of Allen Markey.