Leeds United are seeking reassurances from Leeds City Council (LCC) regarding their plans to expand Elland Road following worries about a potential delay caused by transport planning complications. According to council documents, there are fears that substantial hold-ups in approval could delay the start of construction beyond “another full football season”, thereby exceeding the original projected start date set for May 2026.
It remains unclear whether this relates to the conclusion of the current 2025/26 Premier League campaign – which concludes on May 24 – or the finale of the 2026/27 season. Leeds United officially lodged their hybrid planning application in July. Currently, the council’s decision on whether to approve or decline the application is scheduled for November 27, marking 20 weeks since submission – exceeding the anticipated timeframe of roughly 13 weeks.
The council’s planning committee is set to hold a session next week, on October 30, to examine the application, which suggests increasing stadium capacity to 53,000. This specific City Plans Panel gathering will not decide whether to grant or refuse the proposal.
Instead, it will evaluate a document presented by LCC’s Principal Planner, Matthew Walker, to scrutinise various issues, including transport matters.
Worries have been expressed regarding the submitted Travel Plan, with a modified framework being sought. Local councillors and residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about the inevitable increase in footfall and traffic in the Elland Road area on matchdays due to the proposed expansion.
Leeds United bosses have previously stated that there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution, but they acknowledge the significance of the issue.
The club aims to encourage the use of public transport and decrease car usage by match-goers from 65 per cent to 51 per cent by the completion of Phase 2 works, which includes the North Stand expansion. The club also promised that there would be no additional on-street parking.
An initial review of the application’s transport assessment identified a “need for further and additional data to be provided, so a complete and credible base case on which to move forwards could be established”. It was also concluded that the proposed Travel Plan should be revised.
In July, Active Travel England submitted a deferral – essentially a holding objection – to the plans. Then, in August, National Highways sent a letter stating that the plans should not be approved until the club had provided more detail on traffic provisions.
Since then, both bodies, Leeds United and LCC have been engaged in further discussions over these concerns, and a revised Travel Plan is being developed. An updated travel assessment was submitted on October 4.
The report emphasises that all parties are committed to providing a safer matchday experience with less congestion and travel disruption.
Leeds United, while reacting positively to the feedback, are seeking clarity on the expansion proposals for future planning. There are concerns that the start of works could be delayed beyond ‘another full football season’ and the initially projected start date.
The report for next week’s meeting emphasises that the proposed demolition and rebuild work “requires significant levels of planning and coordination to avoid any injection of delay – which may result in waiting another full football season to be able to commence works beyond the anticipated start date”.
The bulk of construction is being aimed for summer and international breaks periods to minimise the chance of current seat capacity being compromised. The initial forecast completion date of the entire project has been outlined as late 2030.
Council documents indicate that revisions of the Travel Plan will “take time to thoroughly assess” and that “it is necessary these be considered fully by a number of external bodies” within an appropriate period.
However, the council expects that the relevant updated documents will be ready for next week’s meeting, although sufficient time is still needed for assessment and public consultation feedback.
The report urges the council to take into account all aspects related to the proposals, not just transport and travel. The plans have received widespread backing from councillors on matters beyond transport, with many viewing the proposals as advantageous for the city.
Leeds United have switched architects for the expansion project. However, such changes are not unusual in the stadium-building industry, and the design blueprints remain unchanged.