London Luton Airport Limited is bringing forward New Century Park as part of the ambitious £1.5 billion Luton Investment Framework which is aimed at delivering transformation of the town and improving people’s lives over 20 years.
New Century Park will be part of the London Luton Airport Enterprise Zone, which in total will deliver up to 7,200 new jobs and inward investment to support economic growth across the South East Midlands sub-region.
The plan includes significant benefits for the local area including:
- Up to 3,200 local jobs of varying skills, levels and positions;
- A new 1.6-mile dual carriageway access road aimed at helping to alleviate pressure on the existing road network, and unlocking the site which has been undeliverable for over 20 years;
- Investment in improved facilities in the northern area of the existing Wigmore Valley Park – including an improved pavilion and play and skate spaces – together with a large area of new public open space to replace that part of the park that is needed for the development.
LLAL is holding a public exhibition on the submitted plans in order to allow residents and businesses to be fully informed of the submitted application and the changes made since significant public consultation that took place last year.
The exhibition takes place on January 31, 5pm-9pm, at Raynham Way Community Centre in Eaton Green Road.
LLAL chair Cllr Andy Malcolm said: "New Century Park is the latest exciting development in the continuing delivery of the Luton Investment Framework which is attracting much-needed new jobs and improved life opportunities for local people.
"Already we are well on track to bring investment exceeding £1.5 billion into the borough over 20 years.
“This exhibition has been organised so that we can update the community on the changes we have made to the planning application since last year’s consultation and careful consideration of the feedback provided.”
Officers from the project team will be on hand to make sure visitors are clear about how they can provide comments to the local planning authority about the application.
The major changes include:
- Removal of the buildings in the eastern parcel of land within the existing Wigmore Valley Park boundary;
- Changes to the route of the new access road, and a reduction in its length, which allows for a larger landscape buffer between the public open space and the business park;
- A link from the new access road to Eaton Green Road;
- Retention of more land as public open space within the redesigned and improved Wigmore Valley Park.
Luton Council has begun formal consultation on the application. Residents can view and comment on the planning application at https://planning.luton.gov.uk/online-applications, entering the planning reference 17/02300/EIA.
Further information on New Century Park and LLAL’s other projects can be viewed at www.llal.org.uk
