Councillors will vote next week on the proposal for the Stratford venue to host 24 non-sporting events each year, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

Councillors are set to decide whether to allow London Stadium in Stratford to host more concerts.

The stadium’s operators want to amend its planning permission so that it can host up to 24 non-sports events a year.

Newham Council planning officers are recommending that councillors approve the change. They say it would contribute to the borough’s “local tourist economy”.

Conditions attached to London Stadium’s current planning permission limit the venue to hosting ten events a year, with a maximum capacity of 80,000 people, and no more than three nights in a row.

However, stadium manager London Stadium 185 (LS185) – owned by the Greater London Authority – wants to host more concerts and one-off events such as boxing matches to offset financial losses.

It also wants to increase maximum attendance to 85,000 for eight of the 24 events, and a new noise limit of 75 decibels.

The company has told Newham Council the current limits mean it struggles to “compete with other major venues” such as Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A statement submitted with its planning application said current limits “are increasingly restrictive, inhibiting LS185’s ability to compete with other major London venues”.

It added: “This has resulted in opportunities being lost at the stadium due to it not being able to match the offer of other venues in London.”

The proposed changes would also mean reducing the number of sporting events held at the stadium from 87 to 70 a year.

But bosses say the reduction would not affect the number of games West Ham United – which uses the stadium as its home ground – can play there.

The second-tier club also gets priority use of the stadium during the football season.

However, stadium boss Lynn Garner told London Assembly members earlier this year that if the venue wanted to host concerts in September, it would need to ask West Ham to play all its matches away from home that month.

She said that the stadium loses £19million a year as the rent it gets from the club doesn’t cover the running costs, and that 2025/26 had been a “particularly bad year for London Stadium, with only two summer concerts”.

Councillors are set to decide whether to approve the changes at a strategic development committee next Monday (16th).

Council planning officers are recommending they approve the changes.

Their report to councillors says the changes would be in keeping with the original purpose of the stadium, and would benefit Newham’s economy.

Planning officers say: “The stadium and Olympic Park wider area are intended as a destination for both Londoners and visitors from elsewhere. The stadium already provides events such as concerts throughout the year.

“Increasing the number of events per year would be in keeping with the intended use of the stadium and would support the wider functioning of the Olympic park, Stratford and wider area.”

They add: “The proposal would contribute towards the use of the stadium, allowing it to compete with contemporary developments within London.

“It would contribute towards the local tourist economy within Newham and would support the overall goals and functions of the stadium and wider Olympic Park.”

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