New change of use plans for Lea Halls receives support from the community
The planning application will change the use class of the existing student halls to provide 84 co-living flats, delivering up to 457 bedrooms and resident communal facilities. The proposals will offer a more affordable, rental accommodation option for Luton residents, when compared to private renting.
The pop-up event was held on Wednesday 13th September and was a great success, with residents praising the design of the development and the opportunities to boost the local economy. In particular, plans to provide co-living flats for younger persons was supported as it would be a more affordable, alternative accommodation option for residents.
The application aims to make the site more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The existing buildings will be retained and upgraded to modern environmental standards, meaning the site will have a lower carbon footprint than if it was demolished and rebuilt.
The development will improve the appearance of the site by providing new entrance canopies, planting and boundary treatments, with public realm improvements along the site’s eastern boundary complementing the existing popular route between the bus station and the town centre.
In addition, the proposals will improve the onsite amenity spaces for residents, with new, landscaped courtyards and soft landscaping around the perimeter of the buildings.
A spokesperson for Luton Halls Properties Ltd said: “We are really excited about this application and glad it has won support within the community. We felt it was important to present our proposals to the community so they were aware of the many benefits these proposals will bring.
“This change of use application will bring state-of-the-art co-living accommodation to Luton’s town centre, which will be more sustainable and provide a more affordable, alternative option for renters.
“Not only that, but it will provide improvements to the external appearance of the site, a boost to the local economy and generate council tax for Luton Borough Council.
“We encourage residents of Luton to view our proposals and support this development.”
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