Planning officers at Leicester City Council are recommending that councillors vote through plans for a big expansion of the King Power Stadium.
Leicester City FC want to rebuild the East Stand and take the attendance of the ground to more than 40,000. The Thai owners also want to add a 220-room hotel, a 20-storey residential block, a 6,000-capacity indoor entertainment area, and a new flagship club shop.
Only last week Leicester City chairman Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha said he was totally committed to growing the stadium – which site on the banks of the River Soar on the outskirts of the city centre – despite months of delays with the planning process.
He said: “When we first announced our intention to expand the King Power Stadium and develop the surrounding site – a project central to our long-term growth – we would have anticipated such work being well under way by this stage.
“We are 100 per cent committed to the project and indeed hope to have positive news from the local authorities relative to planning permission imminently, but the project’s delay has unquestionably been among the many consequences of the unprecedented global events of recent years.”
Almost a year after submitting a planning application, councillors will vote on Wednesday, September 14, after the council’s planning department recommended approval.
Any work will be subject to a Section 106 agreement, committing the club to investing in the surrounding area and local community as part of the stadium build. That would include affordable housing obligations as part of the residential block, looking at public transport improvements and putting £113,395 into protecting for the nearby Raw Dykes Roman site.
City are at the bottom of the Premier League after failing to take advantage of the summer transfer window. They have lost five and drawn one of their first six league games of the new season.
Writing in a recent club programme, Top said: “Building the club to a level where we are less reliant on player trading takes good management, strategic, sustainable development, success on the pitch, and time. The visible growth of our commercial revenue streams demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction, but the impact of the pandemic has been undeniable.”
