Ex-Premier League club ask to ditch part of redevelopment plans that will see new 25,000-seater stadium built

The Irish Sun

3 days ago

The new stadium is set to hold double the capacity of the current ground
GROUNDS FOR IMPROVEMENT Ex-Premier League club ask to ditch part of redevelopment plans that will see new 25,000-seater stadium built
LUTON TOWN have requested to ditch a plan to build affordable housing on the site of their proposed new 25,000-seater stadium.
The League One side announced plans to build a new ground in the centre of the town last year.
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Luton have plans to build a new 25,000-seater stadium
Credit: Luton Town
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Those working on the development want to scrap plans to build affordable housing on the site
It has been earmarked for a 21-acre brownfield site, with a housing development also in the current plans.
However, councillors are now being advised to support a plea for the affordable housing to be removed from the works.
A formal request was made by Luton's property arm 2020 Developments (Luton) Limited to drop the initial idea.
The contractor believes that doing so will make the project commercially viable.
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A letter asking for the variation of planning conditions was sent by professional services firm WSP to the council.
It said accepting the proposal would be "a significant compromise" on its behalf.
The council's development management committee is due to consider the options at a meeting next Wednesday.
A report to the committee read: "If the council opted not to accept this position, a possible outcome could be that residential development of 1,200 homes and the other elements of the regeneration project wouldn't come forward...
"This includes town centre uses, parking and other associated works, such as highways, landscaping and river works, as part of the overall redevelopment of the Power Court site.
"It's considered that the applicant's financial viability assessment has been robustly tested by an independent assessor. While the results are disappointing, both national and local planning policy allow for viability issues to be taken into account in decision-making.
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"The loss of affordable housing is unfortunate, but it's considered that there would be many wider benefits associated with the regeneration of the Power Court site.
"These include job opportunities and additional consumer spending in the local area from new residents. There would be the opportunity to further scrutinise the viability of the scheme through a review mechanism."
Luton currently play their home games at Kenilworth Road, which has a capacity of 12,000 supporters.
The new stadium is expected to hold 25,000 spectators.
And the project - which is in conjunction with Limak, who redeveloped Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium - is expected to create around 1,000 jobs for the local area.
Luton CEO Gary Sweet said earlier this year: "This is a transformative opportunity for the Club, helping us realise our ambitions to be a Premier League club again one day.
"We are united with the supporters on the need for a new stadium to move our Luton Town forward and we are delighted to be moving into this exciting construction phase.
"Importantly, this new stadium project roots us in our community, bringing jobs and investment as part of the wider regeneration of the area.
"Partnering with a company of Limak's international standing offers us a global perspective with local delivery.
"We will collaborate closely with them to ensure the stadium reflects the spirit and needs of the community.
"It has been a long road to this point, but we are so excited at the prospect of welcoming our supporters to Power Court in the near future and the ability to extend our support base and enhance our unique match-day experience."