Luton Town release new Power Court images as Hatters expect stadium to be built by 2026

Luton Town have released a number of new images of their planned new stadium at Power Court, while also confirming it is expected to be completed by 2026.

It was back in January 2019 that the Hatters received planning permission to go ahead and build the ground, but have seen their efforts to do so delayed substantially by the Covid pandemic, amongst other things.

With Hatters CEO Gary Sweet revealing this week that promotion to the Premier League by beating Coventry City in the Championship play-off final would ‘progress’ but not ‘accelerate’ any spades going into the ground, the club has now produced some fresh imagery of the site.

A statement on Town’s official website said: “In preparation for its submission of the detailed planning application due to be submitted during the close-season, the club’s development arm, 2020 Developments, is delighted to release new imagery of the planned new stadium at Power Court in the heart of Luton’s town centre.

“Subject to a consented detailed planning application, acting as the centrepiece of a regeneration of a 20-acre site adjacent to Luton Railway Station, the Power Court site already benefits from outline planning consent and the club has now completed land assembly for the whole site with the demolition of the last few buildings.

“Over recent months, attention has been focused on relocating the existing primary sub-station in the middle of the site, detailing ground conditions and opening up the River Lea.

"However, now the sub-station project is progressing it is anticipated that groundworks for the new stadium should begin by the turn of the year with the construction period for the stadium itself estimated at around 24-30 months.

"The images shown represent Power Court Stadium in its first phase of development at a capacity of 19,500, which will include around a third as safe-standing.

“A second phase will see another 4,000 seats or standing seats added, which can be developed as demand dictates without too much disruptive upheaval.

“Further technical details will be released as the application is submitted and put in the public domain.”

Sweet continued: “We’re delighted the infrastructure element is underway allowing us to develop the detail of the stadium’s design and, in particular, work hard to capture the core characteristics that makes Kenilworth Road so atmospheric, so intimate and so special to us.

"This season, perhaps more than any other, has demonstrated the incredible relationship we all have with The Kenny and that has been the driving force behind our design work.

“We know everyone is desperate for the new stadium to open – as are we!

"It’s clearly a hugely complicated project but the main aim has always been to maintain the architectural quality and to deliver a stadium that replicates an essential, unique character we are all so familiar with but also fit and ready to grace the Premier League stage.”

Meanwhile, chief operating officer Michael Moran added: “The next phase now is an engagement with Luton Council and key stakeholders such as the Environment Agency and Historic England as we take them all through our detailed design process.

"We are also engaging with contractors as we finalise certain construction features but our target for completion is 2026, regardless of the club’s league position.

"We also mustn’t lose sight of the fact the stadium is to be accompanied by a whole new town quarter for Luton with 1,200 homes, leisure, restaurants, bars, retail and community space.

"It is incredibly exciting to be at the forefront of the Borough’s wider regeneration plans.”

To see the images, click on the link here.