Hatters are hopeful for stadium answer by early next year

The club submitted plans for a new 17,500 stadium at Power Court along with a music/entertainment venue, cafés/bars/restaurants, over 500 apartments, and hotel facilities.

There is also a second proposal for Newlands Park at M1 Junction 10 which would include offices, retail space and leisure amenities to help the Hatters finance the Power Court scheme.

On what the next steps are now, development director Michael Moran exclusively told the News/Gazette: “It’s ultimately with the council for assessment and determination, so we remain in contact with the council, responding to queries, providing further information as required.

“But it’s now in the hands of the council over the coming weeks and months to come back and make a decision.

“There’s a statutory deadline of 16 weeks, but because of the size of the application, that’s likely that it will be extended.

“By putting everything as submitted as in-depth as we can, we’ve tried to help the council as much as possible by preempting as many issues and trying to give as much supporting evidence as possible.

“So it’s with the council, hopefully we’ll get determination, if not by the end of the year, then very early next.”