Luton celebrates £20m cash boost for ambitious town centre plans

Ambitious plans for Luton town centre have moved a step forward this week.

In his budget on Wednesday the Chancellor confirmed that Luton council has been successful with its' £20m Levelling Up bid for a major multi-purpose development and regeneration where Bute Street car park currently sits.

Working with key stakeholders plans were submitted for The Stage, a crucial element of Luton’s Town Centre Masterplan to levelling up Luton’s income inequality and eradicating poverty.

The council announced the ambitious new plan to ‘reimagine’ Luton town centre, earlier this year. The funding means the town stepping closer to its aim of bringing to life the plan’s vision and so helping to achieve the Luton 2040 vision.

The development will consist of 372 homes along with retail and business space, a good size community space with an auditorium and cycle hub along with plans for improved public spaces. The project will support the growth of businesses in various sectors and so creating local employment opportunities, skills, training available. Improving this gateway to the town centre will help create a positive impression for visitors and attract more residents back to the town centre. An enhanced environment and landscape will help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and be more welcoming to families and improve air quality.

Nicola Monk, Corporate Director for Inclusive Economy at Luton Council said: “This announcement is great news for Luton town centre which in turn benefits the whole town. Improving the centre will generate further town-wide investment, as well as enhancing productivity, an inclusive economy, sustainability and greater well-being so that all our residents can thrive and no-one has to live in poverty.

“Using our Luton 2040 framework to bring together the good work already taking place across local networks and with various government departments to solve town centre issues as part of a new system-wide strategic approach”.

This project will be the first step in the redevelopment of the area around Luton station and the entrance to the town centre. This is a prominent site that connects a number of development and regeneration opportunities that are already planned and underway, including the Hat District and the emerging football stadium.