600 new jobs pledged as plans to regenerate Luton's former Vauxhall HQ site go on show

Prologis is holding a public consultation to share its plans for a new high-quality logistics and business park which it says would re-energise the former Vauxhall Motors headquarters, Griffin House, and BWI Group site on Windmill Road in Luton.

The proposals for ‘Prologis Park Luton’ include modern, sustainable and energy-efficient commercial space for growing businesses and companies looking to relocate to Luton.

The draft plans include approximately 400,000 sq ft (38,000 sq m) of space to meet the strong levels of local and national demand and will provide a mix of differently sized units.

A new ‘green link’ is at the heart of the designs and will open up new public routes through the development. Currently fenced and inaccessible, the designs would make the site ‘permeable’ and establish new pedestrian and cycle paths running alongside a re-landscaped River Lea.

For the first time, people would be able to walk or bike through the site from Osborne Road to Manor Park Road. Prologis says its plans will create approximately 600 new jobs on the site and represent a multi-million-pound investment. More jobs will be created in the supply chain. The new facilities and business space proposed will be home to businesses in growing sectors including logistics.

A public consultation runs from Monday, February 21 to Monday, March 14. Anyone wanting to take part can do so by visiting the consultation website at www.prologisgriffinhouseconsultation.co.ukThe website contains detailed information about the proposals as well as plans, photographs and an online feedback form. Feedback providing during this period will be considered ahead of a planning application being submitted to Luton Borough Council.

Tim Burn, Project Management Director at Prologis, said: “We want to make Prologis Park Luton an economic asset for the town, bringing back businesses to the site and creating hundreds of new jobs.

"We’re extremely excited at what this scheme can deliver for the local area, from modern commercial space to support local businesses to our proposed green link that will transform an inaccessible site into an attractive place to walk and cycle through alongside the river.

"We’re putting the plans on display to share our thinking and to invite views and feedback from the community – we’d encourage anyone interested in the proposals to share their views.”