Luton is faced with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to regenerate our town centre with two major regeneration schemes at Power Court and Newlands Park. Together they will transform our town boosting the local economy by £250million a year and creating 10000 new jobs. And importantly they will act as a catalyst for further regeneration.
The two schemes – from Luton Town Football Club’s property arm 2020 Developments Ltd – include a 17500-seat stadium a 1800-capacity music venue bars restaurants entertainment and leisure facilities prestige office space and high-end retail that does not currently exist in Luton.
However despite the overwhelming support – including a UK planning record 11000 people who wrote in support to the council at the consultation stage back in 2016 – these plans are being delayed by a legal challenge. Capital & Regional the owners of The Mall shopping centre have applied by to the High Court for a judicial review which could scupper hopes of a bright new future for our town and cost Luton taxpayers up to £1million to defend in court.
With a General Election coming up on December 12 we have written to all the local candidates to become the Member of Parliament for both Luton South and Luton North asking for their stance on these proposals.
We are a strictly apolitical community group so we will publish one unedited response per day released in the order they were received by us. Here is John French, Best 4 Luton Party…
John French, Best 4 Luton Party
It was a pleasure to meet with Andy King to discuss the work and campaigning of the Save our Town group; particularly their support of the Luton 2020 Developments’ plan for a new football stadium at Power Court and their additional plan for Newlands Park development.
Luton needs re-generation, particularly in the Town Centre, and for too many years Power Court has been left derelict and idle.
We fully support Luton 2020 Developments plans for a stunning new stadium for Luton Town FC, coupled with leisure, events and residential facilities at Power Court.
I have attended several LTFC matches and our team has the ability to grow, gain more supporters and indeed move upwards with a new stadium which will give the additional benefits locally of jobs, housing and leisure.
We had previously raised concerns, on behalf of local residents, regarding traffic in the local area around Power Court. However, we now have confidence in the assurances given to us to overcome these concerns. There is of course much work to be done.
We fully support Luton 2020 Developments plans for Newlands Park. We were advised (by Robin Porter, Chief Exec of LBC) that there are “zero grade A offices in Luton town centre” so planned development of prestige offices, coupled with high end retail will bring jobs, economic growth locally and such plans for both Power Court and Newlands park will reinstate Luton as a place to visit, spend money in, enjoy our leisure and music venues and put Luton back on the map for the right reasons.
Regards
John French
Leader, Best for Luton Party