The industrial past of Power Court meant that it was heavily contaminated, contributing to the high development costs that made previous schemes unviable. In 2024, ground works began to remediate the site and undertake wider groundworks to get the site ready for Phase 1, the stadium.
A key part of the public realm will be uncovering the River Lea that is currently culverted through the site. The river will be re-routed around the new stadium and will be opened up as much as is possible while still maintaining safety on match days. The Lea has been culverted through the site for over a century so opening it up will allow people to connect to the waterway once again.
The opening up of the river will also bring a range of benefits from a public realm perspective. Surrounded by soft landscaping, the river will act as a focal point of the landscaping. On match days, it will form part of the processional route from the town centre to the stadium.
Secured through the planning consent, the commercial and residential developments will achieve BREEAM ‘Good’, provide biodiverse landscapes, and have agreed to provide sustainable heating and cooling technologies and water usage.
