Hatters CEO confirms detailed design for Power Court is now complete

Luton Town chief executive Gary Sweet has confirmed that the detailed design for a new stadium at Power Court has now been completed.

The Hatters originally received planning permission to build a new 17,500 ground over four years ago, while eight months later, were granted outline planning permission for a gateway project at Newlands Park.

They sold the 37-acre site at Junction 10 of the M1 in December 2021 to help fund the build, as a few months earlier, 2020 Developments, the property arm of the club, saw revised proposals, without the ground, unanimously approved by the Luton Borough Council development management committee.

Sweet had hoped to release the new design for the stadium last year, but found a number of stumbling blocks in the way, stating in his programme notes earlier in the year that the main problem was having a substation on the site moved.

However, UK Power Networks submitted plans for a new one to be built just last month and with that now appearing to go ahead, then writing in the strategic report after the club’s accounts for the 2021-22 business year were released this week, Sweet said: “The strategy for the football club remains to continue to strengthen the squad at a sustainable pace with the aim of consolidating the club's position towards the top end of the football pyramid.

"In order to fulfil the Board's aspiration to operate a truly sustainable business model, the move to a new stadium remains imperative.

"The planned stadium at Power Court, in Luton town centre, will significantly increase capacity and corresponding revenue.

"Despite tremendous economic headwinds the project to deliver the new stadium is still progressing, with detailed design now complete.

"A significant portion of the required funding was also secured as a result of the sale of lands at Newlands Park during the financial year which was recorded within the financial statements of 2020 Developments (Luton) Limited, a fellow group undertaking."