It’s day six and the public consultation roadshow has now moved to its final destination, The Hat Factory - Bute Street.
We have been sharing the answers to the most frequently asked questions put to the 2020 Developments team. The next four FAQ's focus on Power Court:
1. Does the Club own the site and would the Football Club own the stadium or would it pay rent?
2020 doesn’t own the site at present but we have an agreement with the landowners that would enable us to own the land should we receive planning consent. We will own the stadium once built which will be held either under the most appropriate division of the Holding company – of which Luton Town Supporters Trust is a shareholder – for the exclusive benefit of the football club and for the football club to operate. No rent will be paid.
2. Why is this site preferred for a stadium rather than retail?
The site is unique in offering a 20-acre blank canvass in the centre of Luton. However, the site has a number of major obstacles (a culverted river, a sub-station and land contamination) which has prohibited it from being developed so far for any purpose; retail, or other use. Our research also shows that an extension to the town’s existing retail offering would not diversify its range. Furthermore, we feel that football clubs that are connected at the heart of their towns and cities thrive, as do the towns and cities. The club intends for the stadium to be a multi-purpose, active, vibrant facility surrounded by communal amenities in a new, well-kept landscaped area of public realm.
3. What will the overall capacity be?
We intend to open with a capacity of 17,500 at the stadium although the application will be for 22,500-23,000 enabling the football club to expand as and when we climb up the leagues and meet demand. However, any increase in capacity will not happen unless we can manage a specific transport strategy agreed and set in place with Luton Council to ensure the town centre thrives vibrantly on a match-day rather than being overcrowded.
4. Will the stadium reach capacity on match days?
We hope so! We feel that too many empty seats are wasteful and dilute match atmosphere. We believe, after much research, have arrived at a capacity figure that is an optimum balance between working harmoniously in the town centre and meeting anticipated demand for the club’s ambitions for the foreseeable future.
See the first three questions here or come and ask your own:
Thursday 26th May, The Hat Factory, Bute Street - 12 noon - 9pm
Friday 27th May, The Hat Factory, Bute Street - 10am - 9pm
Saturday 28th May, The Hat Factory, Bute Street - 11am - 5pm