Luton's planned move to Power Court is becoming more real by the month and in September, the club submitted their official plans for the stadium to Luton Borough Council. The Hatters are looking to end their 119-year tenure at Kenilworth Road and relocate to Power Court with the club's hierarchy keen to evolve.
The plans submitted in September detailed what the club hope the new 25,000-capacity stadium will look like in addition to the surrounding area with new homes, a retail park and a hotel included. The plans have been well received by Luton fans as the new stadium will be just one mile away from Kenilworth Road meaning minimal disruption to the matchday experience.
The plans also revealed that a music venue will also built on the site should the approval be granted. This would allow Luton to generate more income which would help the Hatters to grow.
The official proposals stated that Luton were seeking to move to a new state-of-the-art stadium to ‘increase the club’s chances of reaching and remaining in the Premier League'. As part of the official submission, the club also explained why they are looking to leave Kenilworth Road. They said:
“The physical constraints of Kenilworth Road, packed in among rows of terraced houses in Bury Park, make it impossible for the club to grow. In turn, this limits the positive effect a successful Luton Town Football Club could have in helping to regenerate the town centre.”
The River Lea obstacle
Certain obstacles have prevented construction work from getting started on the project for some time now. However, back in May, a key obstacle was navigated as plans to reroute the River Lea were submitted to Luton Borough Council.
A new route for the river is considered paramount before construction work can begin but the plans submitted today by 2020 Developments Limited, on behalf of Luton Town, should be enough to get the project green-lit. How long it takes to get the seal of approval, though, remains to be seen.
We have only just started talking to the Environment Agency, one thing we all know, government agencies love quickly working things out.
Planning permission was granted in 2019, shouldn’t this have been looked into a few years ago? pic.twitter.com/pHZHA8FvKd
— The WALT Podcast (@TheWALTPodcast) May 13, 2024
A “crucial step” towards a new Luton stadium
WSP, the professional services firm that are helping to guide Luton Town through the complex planning for Power Court, have had their say on what was submitted today. The company's director, Sean McGrath said:
“This represents a crucial step in delivering Power Court with the stadium, commercial space and much-needed housing.
“A new culverted river route would wind its way around the residential developments and stadium, before briefly rejoining as an open section at the Hitchin Road end. The River Lea passes under the site in a covered culvert.
“Works are necessary to the River Lea to ensure commercial and residential developments can progress. The works will require detailed engineering and hydraulic modelling, which will be agreed with the Environment Agency.”