Cardiff City has joined the long list of football clubs whose new ground is in line to be financed by retail development.
Permission has been granted by Cardiff County Council for a new stadium and ancillary retail for the city's recently promoted First Division side, following a delay to allow planning officers to complete their evaluation of the proposals.
The£165 million scheme will include a£73 million stadium that can be extended into a 60,000 seat ground. Cardiff's new stadium will be supported by 400,000 sq ft (37,160 sq m) of retail space, around a quarter comprising a 100,000 sq ft (9,300 sq m) supermarket and the remainder bulky goods space. The development will also include a 154-bedroom hotel and health club, fast food restaurants and a new athletics track.
Capital & Regional is in line to operate the retail warehousing element of the scheme as one of its retail parks trading under The Junction brand.
Cardiff's new ground and surrounding retail will occupy a site at Leckwith, about a mile west of the city centre.
The 'need' for the retail element of Cardiff City's plans, a requirement of planning policy, has not been shown, nor the 'sequential test' applied.
Last week, however, Cardiff County Council approved the scheme because of the regenerative benefits the new stadium will bring.
'Enabling development' is needed to offset a£15 million funding gap over the club's new stadium. The retail and residential element of club owner Sam Hamman's plans are worth about£39 million.
The National Assembly for Wales is expected to decide by mid-September whether to call the scheme in.
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