Features

Leicester submits planning application for stadium expansion

English Premier League football club Leicester City has today (Monday) submitted its hybrid planning application to Leicester City Council for the proposed development of the King Power Stadium.

Leicester first revealed details of the project in July. The plans include a proposal to expand King Power Stadium’s capacity to 40,000 and introduce a mixed-use development that will feature a new arena.

The submission of a planning application follows an extensive pre-application public consultation, which ran between August and September. Leicester said it received “thousands” of pieces of written and in-person feedback from locals, with the response proving to be “overwhelmingly positive”.

The application will now be validated by Leicester City Council before being determined by the planning committee in the first few months of 2022. Before a decision is made, Leicester hopes to be given permission to start some enabling works on site, which it applied for last month.

Leicester has also completed the acquisition of a further property adjoining the site, which was previously occupied by EON. The area does not form part of the current hybrid planning application but Leicester hopes the acquisition will enable the club to consider its potential role in the site’s future development.

Legends International is serving as Leicester’s project manager for the proposals, with Turley having been appointed as planning and development consultant. Architecture firm KSS is also contributing to the project.

Leicester unveiled the first renderings of the proposed expansion of King Power Stadium back in August. The expansion would increase the stadium’s capacity from 32,000 to 40,000.

The wider project also includes the construction of a new multi-purpose event and entertainment arena, club megastore, 220-room hotel, club and commercial office space, a residential tower, and a new multi-storey car park.

King Power International, which owns the club, has long spoken about its ambitions to enhance the team’s facilities and expand the stadium.

Image: Leicester City