Capital & Regional have made a number of claims about the development proposals during the process, which #saveourtown believe to be inaccurate and misleading to the residents of Luton.

Here we provide a response, to put right, some of the claims that Capital & Regional have made.

Claim 1

In an interview on 3CR on 01.06.2017 Ken Ford of Capital and Regional said:

“As a town centre use a football stadium is not necessarily appropriate. The reality is these are big buildings that are fundamentally used perhaps for four, five, six hours a week as opposed to all of the other hours of the week where they’ll essentially lie fallow.”

A club spokesman said: “Power Court Stadium will be in use 365 days per year and will have perhaps 2,000 people living there when fully built out. Add to that over 100,000 square feet of retail, bars and restaurants, a large volume of community space, a hotel, a supermarket and a 1,800 capacity music venue and it will actually be the very opposite of what was described! It’s design not only creates a stage for St Mary’s Church to be rightly appreciated but anyone will be able to view the interior and the pitch from the podium level, without paying – like a true public open space.

In addition, all spatial accommodation will be utilised fully and in many cases, used for multi-purpose, like executive boxes that will double up as start-up office space, hospitality areas and the media suite that will be used for education and hotel bedrooms that overlook the pitch will be used for matchday hospitality.

Also many of the numerous restaurants will have visibility and access over the stands and the pitch allowing everyday diners to take in the vista which will be mood-illuminated by the LED floodlight halo – our hat!

The main kitchen and directors area will be turned into an everyday brasserie overlooking the pitch one side and our church the other. Changing rooms for player can be used as changing rooms for the club’s retail operation, concourse areas used for exhibition space, stands could be open for open-air movie nights and even the pitch could be open for the Luton Carnival. Every square foot will be an efficient and valuable social space – not just for Saturday afternoons!”

Claim 2

In an interview on 3CR on 01.06.2017 Ken Ford of Capital and Regional said:

“Football stadiums don’t actually contribute too much to the economic vitality of the town centre.”

A club spokesman said: “Currently, at Kenilworth Road, Luton Town employs over 400 staff during the season. At Power Court, that number would approximately double. Furthermore, the addition of all of the other facilities at Power Court such as the music venue, hotel, restaurants, bars, supermarket, nursery, gym, healthcare and education will add over 1,000 direct equivalent full time jobs to the Luton economy which doesn’t include the nearly 10,000 equivalent permanent jobs that Newlands Park will deliver for the Luton economy.”

Claim 3

In an interview on 3CR on 01.06.2017 despite claiming credentials for working hand in hand with local communities when reminded that an unprecedented 10,972 local community members had contacted Luton Borough Council in support of the planning application Ken Ford of Capital and Regional dismissed that expression of community opinion by saying:

“Clearly it looks like we’re at odds with that portion of the community, less than around 10,000 out of a catchment of well over 200,000.”

A club spokesman said: “The response to our consultation – at over 11,000 letters of support in favour versus just 33 against – was unprecedented for any application in UK planning history (let alone in Luton) and not just for a football stadium.

By contrast, London Luton Airport’s (where 10,000 jobs are reliant upon) last big application to almost double its growth only received 1,350 letters of support versus 350 letters of objection. In football, Tottenham’s last planning application for their 61,000 seater stadium currently under construction received less than 200 letters of support whilst Arsenal’s move to the Emirates attracted 60% of all responses objecting to their scheme which still got approval.

The nearest recent example is AFC Wimbledon’s move back to their ancestral home which was an incredibly emotive campaign saw an impressive 5,100 supportive letters versus 900 objections. The people of Luton have embraced our proposals and with a weight of favour at 99.997% this simply cannot be ignored by politicians locally or nationally.”

Claim 4

While continuing to object to the Newlands Park proposals Capital and Regional have consistently claimed that they’ve offered “help to support 2020’s Power Court application.”

However, in a letter to the Luton News on October 17 2018, Luton Town chief executive Gary Sweet, wrote: ‘Firstly, we do not need any further assistance in funding our stadium. We’re more than happy with our position on this as it stands. And if we did need any specialist advice we would take it from a specialist adviser who would be more equipped in advising in that specific area and not from a national corporate organisation that continues to object to our developments, who clearly doesn’t understand our business model or our community commitment.

‘Perhaps if they weren’t so determined to stymie development in our town we would be somewhat more enthusiastic. If, however, C&R are referring to helping us financially, directly, to support the building of our stadium then that is very disappointing.

‘The council’s CEO chaired a meeting between us back in April which all parties agreed would remain confidential.

‘On a number of times since that meeting C&R have referred to issues discussed in that meeting, in this case suggest that they have made us offer to help, allowing the public to believe we are rejecting their support, which is not just disappointing but very unprofessional.

‘Continuing to make such claims forces me to clarify the position in this regard. In the meeting C&R felt we could fund the stadium from different sources – rather than a scheme consisting of offices, retail, leisure and a hotel – but every source of funding they suggested ultimately came from the public purse, essential additional taxation on Luton businesses or the general public which we didn’t feel at all comfortable with.

‘One of the things we’re so proud of is that fact that our plans will attract 10,000 quality jobs for the town and will bring in over £250million every year to our local economy without the necessity for us to ask the public to contribute to building it.

‘I can categorically confirm that C&R have never, during or after the numerous meetings we’ve had with them over a long period, made any kind of offer to us, in cash, in kind or from the private sector to help fund our football stadium.’

Newlands Park is a 40-acre site at junction 10 of the M1 motorway. It will enhance perceptions of Luton, bring in new business, complement the town centre and will provide:

• An impressive and iconic new gateway to Luton to be proud of
• An eye-catching environmentally friendly 'green roof' with walking spaces where people can gather and use the facilities on offer, such as rooftop cafes
• Approximately 500,000 sq ft of high-spec offices, forming a landmark design
• An innovative leisure hub, housed in an iconic 'crystal' design with a high-end cinema and a wide range of active leisure attractions
• Aspirational, high-end retail to complement the existing town centre retail in Luton

Learn more about this proposed development at: http://2020developments.co.uk/newlandspark/index.php

However, if these proposals for Power Court and Newlands Park do not go ahead, Luton will be left with:

• Un-utilised land by the M1, as the gateway to the town
• An eyesore at Power Court in the centre of the town, which enhances perceptions of Luton as a town in decline
• A crumbling Kenilworth Road football stadium on a site in one of the most deprived wards in the country, which could be used for desperately needed housing and other community uses
• A dying night-time economy in the fourth largest town in England, where the town centre is effectively empty by 6pm every evening when The Mall shopping centre shuts its doors
• A missed opportunity to boost the economy of the local area and create huge numbers of new jobs, that would provide the people of Luton and their children with a bright new future

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