MP tells council to treat Leamington FC stadium plan 'with the priority it deserves'

Yesterday (Tuesday August 26) we reported that the club may have to wait another six years for a new stadium after further delays were confirmed in a council report, which is set to be considered next week.

Warwick District Council’s cabinet will be asked to sign off a series of actions to progress the community, infrastructure and enabling development at a meeting on Wednesday (September 3).

As recently as March 2024, council officers targeted a July 2028 opening date in presentation made to Brakes supporters.

Doubt was cast over those projections earlier this year when the council’s community infrastructure levy (CIL) list showed that £5 million worth of funding for the project was not set to be allocated until the financial years 2027-28 and 2028-29, something that was questioned by former district leader Councillor Andrew Day (Con, Bishop’s Tachbrook).

The new report on the project itself has a refreshed timeline with “the earliest possible” move-in date being April 2029 with the caveat that “in practical terms, the completion is more likely within a range of this date and 2031”.

Matt Western, the MP for Warwick and Leamington and a keen Brakes fan, has expressed his concerns about the delays to the project and is pushing the council to get moving with the stadium.

Mr Western said: “I’m concerned to read that fans may have to wait until 2031 to experience the new stadium.

"The community, club and fans have been waiting over a decade for this and rightly want to see progress on it.

"The story of this project so far has been one of delays and inaction.

"It is vital that the council now treat this with the priority it deserves, vote it through at the meeting next week and work towards an opening date of April 2029, we must see real movement towards this quickly.”

He added: "The benefits to the club, the community, local schools and other smaller clubs will be huge. It is too important to push any later down the line.

"Let’s get on with it and deliver this asset for our community.”