King Power plans ‘hang in the balance’ after third missed planning deadline

Plans for a major expansion of Leicester City’s stadium “hang in the balance” after the city’s council missed its own deadline to decide on the planning application for a third time.

New Civil Engineer (NCE) reports that the council was due to make a decision on the King Power redevelopment by the end of July – but that no ruling has yet been made.

This follows missed deadlines to vote on the East Stand redevelopment on February 10 and April 20. NCE says that no new date has been determined for the decision.

Leicester City Council has cancelled seven of its last eight planning committee meetings, with the next scheduled for today (August 3), but the King Power scheme is not on the agenda.

A Leicester City Council spokesperson told NCE that no new date has been set for determining the application.

The plans show that the Foxes want to remodel both the north and south stands – as well as the extension to the east stand, in a move that will increase the stadium’s capacity by 8,300 to 40,000.

Leicester City’s owners have plans to build a 15-storey, 220-room hotel and a 6,000-capacity indoor arena that will host live events. The plans also outline a footbridge from the hotel to the revamped east stand and new office a commercial space, a multi-storey car park and 234-apartment residential scheme would also be included.

The Foxes say that the earliest the work on the east stand would be completed would see it open for the start of the 2024-25 season.

The new east stand would have five levels and include a new fan bar, a lounge for premium ticket holders, hospitality facilities, a sensory room for children and a fanzone.

The Foxes had hoped to start work on the the project early this year after submitting the plans last November.