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Power Court Stadium

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Coordinates: 51°52′45″N 0°24′28″W / 51.879224°N 0.407760°W / 51.879224; -0.407760
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Power Court Stadium
Map
Full namePower Court Stadium
LocationPower Court, Luton
Coordinates51°52′45″N 0°24′28″W / 51.879224°N 0.407760°W / 51.879224; -0.407760
Public transitNational Rail Luton
OwnerLuton Town
OperatorLuton Town
Capacity25,000
Construction
Opened2027 (planned)
ArchitectAECOM
AndArchitects
Project managerGary Sweet

Power Court Stadium[1] is a football stadium under construction in Luton, Bedfordshire, that will become the home ground for Luton Town ahead of the 2027–28 season,[2] replacing Kenilworth Road.

Power Court is the site of the former Luton power station, which was closed in 1969.[3] It is intended that the new stadium will be part of a new mixed-use development in the centre of Luton containing housing, a hotel and a music venue.[4]

Planning

[edit]

Luton Town has played at Kenilworth Road since 1905 [5] having been forced to find a ground at short notice following the sale of their previous Dunstable Road home. The club has sought to move away from Kenilworth Road since 1955, the year it won promotion to the First Division for the first time. At that point, the ground was considered small compared to those of their contemporary First and Second Division clubs, and its location along a main road and train line made significant redevelopment difficult. [6]

The club has since made several attempts to relocate. Leaving Luton for the nearby new town of Milton Keynes was unsuccessfully proposed several times, most notably in the 1980s.[7] Since 1989, the stadium has been owned by Luton Borough Council, who lease the ground back to the club. A planning application for a new 20,000-seater indoor stadium, the "Kohlerdome" proposed by chairman David Kohler in 1995, was turned down by the Secretary of State in 1998, and Kohler left soon after.[8] In 2007, the club's then-owners proposed a controversial plan to relocate to a site near Junction 12 of the M1 motorway, near Harlington and Toddington.[9] A planning application was made on the club's behalf by former chairman Cliff Bassett, but the application was withdrawn almost immediately following the club's takeover in 2008.[10][11] In 2009, the club began an independent feasibility study to determine a viable location to move to.[12][13]

The club did not rule out redeveloping Kenilworth Road and, in October 2012, entered talks to buy the stadium back from Luton Borough Council.[14] By 2015, these plans had been dropped in favour of a move to a new location, with managing director Gary Sweet confirming that the club was in a position to "buy land, secure the best possible professional advice ... and to see the [planning] application process through to the receipt of consent."[15]

In April 2016, the club announced its intention to build and move into a 17,500-capacity stadium on the Power Court site in central Luton.[16] Outline planning permission for this ground, with potential to expand to 23,000 seats, was granted by Luton Borough Council on 16 January 2019.[17] In March 2021, the club announced that it intended to make a number of changes to the initial scheme to reflect changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but that the capacity of the new stadium was still to be 23,000 and had a target opening date of 2024.[18] This plan was revised in 2023, to delivering the first phase, a 19,500-seat stadium, by 2026, followed by the second, a further 4,000 safe standing seats, at a later date.[19][20] In September 2024, the club submitted revised plans to the Luton Borough Council for a 25,000 stadium with a planned opening date of 2027.[21][22]

Proposed features

[edit]

Luton Town's proposed stadium will have differently sized stands on each side in a homage to Kenilworth Road. [23]

A distinctive feature of the new stadium is the 'halo' floodlighting system which will be suspended above the pitch and is inspired by a straw boater hat similar to those manufactured in Luton. [24]

References

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  1. ^ "Detailed planning application for Power Court submitted".
  2. ^ "Power Court plans successfully validated". www.lutontown.co.uk. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  3. ^ Cotswold Archaeology (28 October 2013). "Power Court Site Luton Bedfordshire" (PDF). Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  4. ^ https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/luton-towns-plans-for-a-new-25000-stadium-at-power-court-are-unveiled-to-the-public-4797075
  5. ^ Hayes (2002). Completely Top Hatters!. p. 43.
  6. ^ Collings, Timothy (1985). The Luton Town Story 1885–1985. Luton: Luton Town F.C. pp. 70–74. ISBN 978-0-9510679-0-1.
  7. ^ Rose, Neil (20 June 2005). "Luton Town 1 MK Dons 0". When Saturday Comes. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  8. ^ Bose, Mihir (23 October 1994). "Luton chairman ready for a stretch inside". The Sunday Times. Times Newspapers: 22.; "Lawrence counts cost of progress". The Sunday Times. Times Newspapers: 5 (Sport). 29 November 1998.; "Luton's proposed stadium blocked". The Times. Times Newspapers: 49. 23 February 1999.
  9. ^ "Luton stadium dream moves closer". BBC Sport. 15 February 2007. Archived from the original on 19 February 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  10. ^ Knowles, Keeley (30 March 2008). "J12 stadium plans run into problems". Bedfordshire on Sunday. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Junction 12 application withdrawn". Luton Town F.C. 1 September 2008. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009.
  12. ^ "Luton stadium plan 'unaffordable'". BBC Sport. 23 February 2009. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  13. ^ "Chapter 9 – Action Areas". Luton Borough Council. Archived from the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  14. ^ "Luton Town FC in talks to buy back Kenilworth Road". BBC News. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  15. ^ "Hatters' new stadium location to be revealed soon". Luton Today. 19 April 2015. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  16. ^ "Nathan Jones: Luton Town's new stadium at Power Court 'not just generic'". BBC Sport. 22 April 2016. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  17. ^ "Power Court: Luton Town football stadium gains planning permission". BBC Sport. 16 January 2019. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Power Court and Newlands Park update". www.lutontown.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Luton Town unveil images of proposed 19,500-capacity stadium ahead of Championship play-off final". ITV News. 26 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Luton Town: Club reveals new stadium pictures and plans". BBC News. 26 May 2023. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Detailed planning application for Power Court submitted". www.lutontown.co.uk. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Plans go in for new Luton Town stadium". The Construction Index. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  23. ^ https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/luton-towns-plans-for-a-new-25000-stadium-at-power-court-are-unveiled-to-the-public-4797075
  24. ^ andarchitects.co.uk/sports-leisure/power-court-stadium


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