With the supporting commercial development now approved, Luton Town's stadium scheme can officially go forward. Two issues may still arise but unless planning permission is challenged, we should see construction this year.

Following January's planning permission for the 17,500-seat Power Court Stadium, further progress took place on the evening of Monday, March 11. The Luton Borough Council's development control committee determined that the plans for Newlands Park should be approved.

Newlands Park is a commercial project beside the M1, which will help finance the construction of Power Court itself. Without this leisure precinct it wouldn't be possible to build the stadium in proposed form.

We should note that the approval can still be called into question in two ways: first, it can 'be called' in for review by the secretary of state. Second, it may be subject to judicial review. As confirmed by Luton Town in their Monday statement, the club might still need to ask its fanbase for support to win these challenges. Based on the immense support shown so far, the Hatters can count on their fans, if such need arises.

The Newlands Park plans, which were revealed to the public in 2016 alongside the plans for the new Hatters stadium at Power Court, consist of new offices, retail, leisure facilities, restaurants and bars as well as a 300-bed hotel. The development will provide the people of Luton new places to work, relax and play with easy access to the town centre, M1 and London Luton Airport.