"We are preparing the programme for the expansion of the stadium," Howe explained on the club's website. "We hope to put an application forward in October for that. We don't know what capacity it will be exactly, and what else will be involved, but it's the direction we're heading in.
"It will be a full planning application. I'm being ambiguous about the number of seats because it's all being worked on.
"It has to be the right shape, and marry in with everything in terms of design and what we have already.
"It will certainly add at least 10,000 to the capacity but the final figure is not decided."