The Council is launching a consultation exercise asking what you think about proposed plans for Luton’s future. The consultation runs from 25 June until 3 August.
With the existing Local Plan ageing, the Council needs your help with a new Local Plan looking forward to 2031 and shaping the building of homes, shops, offices, businesses and schools.
The town centre has been transformed over the last four years with the successful new look St George’s Square, The Mall extension and high street pedestrianisation. The new rail station car park is now complete and the guided busway is progressing well.
But strong planning polices need an up-to-date Local Plan, setting out a 20 year vision for growth, health and wellbeing including where development will go and how people will get to places. Planning polices must provide quality housing, jobs and leisure facilities, as well as improving and protecting green places for people to play or enjoy wildlife and tranquil greenery.
Local communities can even create their own detailed Neighbourhood Plans and Neighbourhood Development Orders setting out precisely what is to be built where, how it looks and which areas to protect.
Cllr Hazel Simmons, Leader of the Council, said: “This consultation is your chance to shape the future of your home town. Luton faces some hard planning choices. There is simply no room to grow outward and pressure to use existing land. The town’s population is growing, so some development may need to take place on employment land, green space or other sites, as well as recycling vacant brownfield land and buildings as appropriate.”
Bolder and more innovative thinking is needed to meet the town’s needs. Creative development is being encouraged to generate finance and recycle space to, for example, expand or build schools to give our children and grandchildren the best opportunities in life. Other possibilities include converting office space to schools, building upwards, sharing play and recreation facilities with the community and finding living space on surplus land.
Consultation has now closed.