Luton Borough Council release statement on Power Court delays

After Luton chief executive Gary Sweet wrote in his programme notes last night about his frustrations with the ‘unfathomable’ delays over plans for a new ground and mixed use scheme on land adjacent to Junction 10 of the M1 that were submitted back in August 2016, the council responded with a statement this evening.

It read: “We completely understand and share some of the frustrations about the delays with the process, many of which have been outside the control of the council and the club.

"Our planning officers have been meeting with the club every fortnight to discuss the status of their applications and support them with the information they still need to submit to us about the funding of the two schemes.

"This funding assessment, along with a final technical report, needs to be reviewed by independent experts.

“We expect that this will take about a month and assuming these outstanding matters are addressed, we should be in a position at the end of April to announce the date of the special Development Control meeting where the applications will be considered.

"The council has been committed to finding the club a suitable location for a new stadium for a long time and if LTFC plans were to be approved by the independent planning committee, the developments would positively transform a derelict and unsightly piece of land and undeveloped site, creating new jobs and opportunities for local people.

"We would like to thank the fans and residents for their patience. We know it’s taking a long time but this is not unusual for applications of this size.

"Please be assured the council will continue working closely with the club to ensure the outstanding issues are resolved."