Leicester City’s owners have cleared a major hurdle on the way to expanding the capacity of their stadium. The city council has accepted the terms of an agreement required by English legislation. Under certain conditions…

What's next for the redevelopment of the Foxes' stadium?

The owners of the club, which is currently fighting to return to the Premier League, must carry out the necessary exploratory work around King Power Stadium over the next five years so that heavy construction equipment can be introduced. These are the provisions written in an agreement signed by city officials and Leicester City, which has been approved by the city council.

The exploratory work includes, among other things, a reconnaissance of the site to look for potential endangered plant and animal species and a site assessment of blast mitigation of the structure (needed because of the planned cladding installation). The city authorities also require an accessibility plan and a strategy for the stadium’s shut-down in the event of a possible terrorist attack.

Among other requirements, the club will need to submit an employment plan highlighting ways to increase the number of job opportunities, including working with local job centres.

© Leicester City FC

What else is included in the King Power Stadium redevelopment plan?

The task of carrying out the construction will be taken on by Laing O'Rourke, the company currently involved in the construction of Everton's new stadium. It is one of the companies behind the 2021 construction plan. Negotiations are still ongoing with the contractors over the price Leicester City will pay to have the project delivered. In addition to them, Buro Happold, the design team responsible for investigating possible ground contamination at the construction site, is involved in the investment.

It is worth mentioning that it is not just the east stand of the Foxes' stadium that will undergo a makeover. The wider plan approved in 2022 also includes the construction of a 20-storey residential building, a hotel with 220 rooms, a multi-storey car park, a club shop and an arena with a capacity of up to 6,000 people.

According to club officials, the additional outline elements incorporated under the overall project are crucial to the viability, and their approval will mark the achievement of a landmark on the road to positive completion. The owners added that the acquisition of new land since the original planning application was submitted can now also be incorporated into their vision for the whole site and represents another opportunity to enhance the club's overall retail offering.

According to the announcement, the expanded King Power Stadium will be completed as early as 2024.

© Leicester City FC