Northampton Town FC stadium: 10,000 seats and 225 homes plan

New images of the redeveloped Sixfields stadium including this picture of the East Stand have been released

Plans for a 100-room hotel, shops and houses next to a football stadium and athletics track in Northampton have been submitted to the borough council.

Northampton Town FC wants permission to increase seating at Sixfields Stadium from 7,653 up to 10,000.

A supermarket, shops and 225 homes are planned for a former landfill site.

Chairman David Cardoza said the aim was to help the club to be self-sufficient, and the project would be partly funded by a £12m borough council loan.

Mr Cardoza has in the past outlined his ambition to move the Cobblers up the leagues and bring in bigger crowds.

The West Stand is also due to be redeveloped at the stadium

Although the application for outline planning permission states a 10,000 seat capacity Sixfields is likely to only build 8,500.

Mr Cardoza said in June there was no point putting in more seats "if the club wasn't able to generate the income to deliver a team capable of filling them".

"We have plans where we can increase the capacity again if and when we are as successful, as we all hope we will be."

Opposition to the Sixfields development is expected from local residents concerned about traffic problems.

Northampton and Rugby Athletics Club, based at Sixfields, is moving to Moulton College where an £18m project is under way to create new sporting facilities.