'Real progress' made on town regeneration scheme

A ceremony has been held on the site of a £136m town centre regeneration scheme as work is set to ramp up over the next year.

Construction of The Stage on the former Bute Street car park in Luton - made up of homes, a performance venue, commercial space and a food court - was supposed to begin in 2024.

But progress ground to a halt after an assessment by the building safety regulator.

The issue has now been resolved and Luton Borough Council said it was committed to pushing ahead with the scheme.

James Taylor, portfolio holder for regeneration and inclusive growth, said 25% of the town centre was currently going through redevelopment.

"We are really on the cusp of something special," he said.

"We will start to see a real transformation that will have a noticeable difference on how people feel about the town."

Luton is part of the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor that the government believes will add up to £78bn to the UK economy by 2035.

Taylor said the council would work to capitalise on the opportunities that brought.

"Bedfordshire has become part of the national and international picture with Universal down the road," he said.

"We have got our own airport expansion with 32 million passengers a year. Luton has got to be at the centre of regional growth. We are stepping up and we are ready to deliver."

The Stage development is underpinned by £20m funding from the Local Regeneration Fund.

The council said it will deliver 292 apartments, including 84 affordable rental units.

A new performance area will have capacity for 600 people and a new public square is planned alongside commercial space and a food and drink area.

Rachel Hopkins, MP for Luton South and South Bedfordshire, said: "This is a landmark development for our residents and families. We deserve to have as many facilities as any other town.

"A larger performance space will mean a greater variety of things happening here which will maintain footfall in the town."

Hopkins added it was right to focus on redeveloping land next to the train station.

"It is a site that needs to be redeveloped but that is not to distract from all the work that goes on around the town," she said.

The council added that £12m has been earmarked to transform parks and public spaces in the town and leisure facilities and homes were also being upgraded.

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