Luton Town appoints stadium architect

Luton Town FC chair Bill Tomlins has announced that the club has appointed an architect to design its new stadium project.

Uncertainty has shrouded numerous attempts by the club to move to a new home in recent years, including one ambitious scheme which included the construction of a new motorracing circuit.

Tomlins unveiled the Miller Partnership as project architects – the firm that designed Southampton's St Mary's stadium and the Walkers Stadium in Leicester – saying: "The most important aspect of the brief was to appoint an architect that would give us an identity and produce a stadium that football supporters would instantly recognise as the home of Luton Town.

"We wanted to take the spirit and atmosphere of Kenilworth Road and recreate it in a brand new stadium."

Concerns still exist that a site for the stadium has not been secured, with various possible locations mooted along the M1 corridor, but Tomlins insisted: "There have been pre-planning meetings with South Bedfordshire District Council regarding land at Old Park Farm.

Although we made an announcement in December 2005, we didn't sign a deal with the landowner until 29 June this year."

The news comes after Tomlins was the recipient of a personal verbal attack by Luton manager Mike Newell. Newell was subsequently disciplined for his comments.