Despite months of planning delays, plans to enlarge King Power Stadium and develop the neighborhood are forging ahead. Leicester City Football Club reportedly submitted an application to Leicester City Council in October 2017. The application sort for permission for the construction of a hotel, an indoor entertainment venue, and thousands of additional seats at the stadium.
Last February, it was anticipated that a decision would be made; nevertheless, it was delayed until April. The latest deadline for a decision was passed at the end of the previous month. The difficult negotiations over the planning proposal, according to both the council and the club, are still ongoing. Both parties are cooperating to get the application ready for potential approval.
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The club will enlarge King Power Stadium to a capacity of 40,000 seats
The club has been working on a concept to increase the King Power Stadium’s seating capacity to 40,000 seats for years. The plan also includes the construction of 15-storey hotel with 220 rooms and a business center. Moreover, the club plans to construct a 6,000-seat indoor arena for conferences, concerts, and indoor sporting events. Live performances, would also be added to the stadium, which is located on the southern outskirts of the city.
A footbridge might connect the arena to the new east stand and hotel. The Thai owners of The Foxes also intend to build a 234-apartment and a 20-storey residential tower complex. A new club and commercial office space, and a multi-story parking structure would also be constructed. According to planning records, the site’s workforce would grow from 1,070 to 2,745.
“This is a sophisticated large redevelopment proposal as well as a stadium capacity extension,” a city council spokeswoman said. “In order to prepare the application for presentation to the planning committee with a recommendation for approval, we have been collaborating with the club and its advisors. The dates listed on the planning portal are merely intended as targets; they are not strict deadlines and may be changed.”
