More homes on the way for Luton and Houghton Regis?

A draft stategy, which goes to public consultation on June 20, for 14,000 houses to be built across the county has been drawn up by Central Beds Council and includes plans for 7,000 homes to the north of Houghton Regis and 4,000 to the north of Luton – effectively an annex of the town stretching from the A6 to the M1.

Plans for the Luton North development depend upon a proposed Luton Northern Bypass linking the A6 and M1 and the construction of Junction 11a on the motorway.

But the Luton area could yet see more proposals for development put forward as Luton Borough Council is working on its own local strategy.

A joint core strategy, compiled by LBC and Central Beds Council over a four year period, which included plans for 19,000 homes including developments to the north and east of Luton and to the north of Houghton Regis, was scrapped by councillors last July.

Plans for 5,500 dwellings to the east of Luton had already been dropped after fierce opposition in neighbouring Herts.

And Luton’s executive committee dropped the overall strategy in favour of a new one which they said should feature homes to the west of Luton – where a consortium behind the Bushwood development wanted homes and a new stadium for Luton Town Football Club to be built.

That site will not feature in Central Beds’ draft strategy.

A Town Hall spokesman said: “Luton Borough Council is in the process of preparing a local plan for the town for the next 20 years and will shortly be undertaking a period of public consultation. Central Bedfordshire has just started their period of consultation.

“Both councils are in dialogue over the evidence base and content of these two emerging plans and this dialogue will continue throughout the two plan-making processes.

“Under the duty to cooperate set out in the Localism Act each council will need to demonstrate how they have taken the needs of neighbouring authorities into account.”

> For the full story on the Central Beds draft strategy pick up a copy of the Luton News on sale now.