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‘So many complexities’ – Premier League club’s new stadium could face one-year DELAY in blow to fans after tough season
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LUTON TOWN’S new stadium plans will be “bigger, better, bolder” due to their Premier League experience - but the move date could be delayed.
The Hatters will be back in the Championship next season after their relegation from the top-flight was confirmed on Sunday.
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After last season’s play-off triumph, boss Rob Edwards and his side finished six points from safety and ended the campaign with a 4-2 home defeat to Fulham.
However, the huge “extra income” from Premier League means that Luton have been able to enhance the club’s plans for their new stadium.
Their new Power Court home is being built on land next to the town’s railway station.
Preliminary work has already begun with the target being for it to open for the start of the 2027/28 season.
However, that could now be pushed back by 12 months, according to chief executive Gary Sweet.
He made the revelation while taking part in a question and answer session with the Luton Town Supporters' Trust.
He stated that the delay could happen in order to avoid moving from their Kenilworth Road ground mid-season.
Sweet said: “We completely understand certain frustrations and we are as anxious as anyone to get it done and it’s not an easy question to answer [as to when it will be ready].
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“There are so many complexities with a project like this, in a location like this, and at a time like this, including some outside of our control.”
Sweet then cited a number of major challenges that they were facing in the project.
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He blamed Brexit, the Ukraine war with Russia, the “massive interest rate rises” and “[building] material costs rocketing sky high” were all mentioned.
The club submitted full plans last week to Luton Borough Council to reroute the River Lea as part of the proposals for the wider 17-acre (seven-hectare) site.
Sweet says that “despite the obvious complications” with the site of their new home, it is the right location.
He said: “It’s right at the heart of our town centre, it’s where a football club should be.”
Luton’s new stadium was due to open in three phases.
The initial capacity was set to be around 17,500.
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However, Sweet says that the financial boost from being a Premier League club this season has meant that Power Court will now open with its “maximum allowable capacity” of 23,000.
The current planning permission for the site was approved in 2019.
That allows for the football stadium, up to 1,200 homes, as well as leisure, entertainment and community facilities all to be on the site.
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Luton will commence life back in the EFL on the weekend commencing August 10 as they look to secure an instant return to the top-flight.
And they will find out who they will face on the opening day when the Championship fixtures are released on Wednesday 26 June.
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