Napier Park: Work kicks off on former Vauxhall Motors site

The 55-acre former site of Vauxhall Motors, off Kimpton Road, is now being readied for a series of separate developments which in total could exceed £600m worth of investment.

Currently Blu-3, on behalf of Augur, is levelling the site before the road and essential services infrastructure is put in place.

Redrow Homes is set to submit a planning application for 520 homes on a 20-acre slice of the overall site – a proposal which includes 918 car parking spaces, 4,730 sq metres of new woodland, 3,700 sq metres of wildflower meadow and 4,500 sq metres of public open space.

Redrow has said that it will make 10% of the one, two, three and four bedroom properties affordable housing.

Luton Borough Council’s current target for schemes of more than 15 units is 20% affordable housing.

Redrow is already advertising one and two bedroom apartments in Napier Park on its website, in a development it has named ‘Volanti’ – the Italian word for ‘Flying’.

The website states: “These homes, less than half an hour from Central London, are sure to sell fast.”

Luton Borough Council is currently considering another planning application – for the south-eastern section of the site which has become known as Napier Gateway.

Developer J2 Global plans to build 685 apartments, a 209 bed hotel, a medical centre, gym, retail units and a public square.

Should planning consent be granted J2 expects to complete Napier Gateway in spring 2019.

LBC leader Hazel Simmons has promised the Napier Park works will transform a “barren, steeply sloping site” into an “attractive new community”.