Luton Town fan groups have hailed the approval of detailed plans for a new football stadium saying the club’s decades long ambition to move home will soon become a reality.
Luton councillors tonight unanimously voted in favour of the Hatters’ new 25,000-seat arena at Power Court, which will allow the club to begin building in the new year, ready for its first game in 2027.
Alongside the stadium approval was a green light for outline permission for a new 1,800-capacity music venue and a hotel, while the site will also contain retail and commercial space, plus the deculverting of the River Lea, currently hidden underground, as part of a publicly accessible piazza.
Reacting the the historic news, Luton Town Supporters’ Trust, have saluted the hard work which has taken eight years to achieve after current owners 2020 first unveiled stadium proposals in 2016, the supporters’ trust chairman, Tony Murray, said: “We are over the moon to hear that the detailed plans for Power Court have been given approval by the planning committee. A new home for Luton Town FC has been desired for far too long but the day of that dream becoming a reality is getting ever closer.
“On behalf of our board, I would like to congratulate everyone at 2020 Developments for getting the project to this stage and we look forward to following the progress at Power Court over the coming period of time as a new home for the club comes to fruition.
“This is the early Christmas present that all supporters wanted. We hope the feelgood factor around the decision will make its way onto the terraces on Friday night and that our huge support can assist the players in giving us the gift of three points against Derby County.”
A statement from the Loyal Luton Supporters’ Club on their Facebook page, said: “If you can dream it, you must do it. Finally we will open a new chapter in this club’s great and long history, our real potential will now be realised once we are in our new home. A long road is coming to an end. The vision from the 50s of a new stadium will become a reality and with it the transformation of the club and the town.”
Earlier today, prior to the planning decision, in the latest episode of the award-winning Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Podcast, the group’s media officer and pod host, Kevin Harper, said a positive Power Court planning outcome would be a better result for the football club than any achieved on the pitch since owners 2020 rescued the club from extinction in 2008.
“If everything goes according to plan—and we’ve got no reason to think it won’t, then it’s the biggest victory in the 2020 era,” he said, adding: “Regardless of the fact that we’ve been a Premier League club, regardless of the fact we’ve won three promotions, regardless of the fact that we’ve won a Johnstone Paint Trophy, you can put them all together and this still outstrips all of it.
“Our club will be financially sustainably secure for the very, very, very long term. And, whether we win on Friday (against Derby County), whether we lose on Friday or whether we draw on Friday – and let’s hope it is the former and we win on Friday and go on a winning run – none of it is as significant as getting a win on Monday night.”
Watch the Power Court discussion, during the post-match podcast following Luton’s 2-0 defeat to Blackburn at the weekend, below…
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