Our response to the further delay in determining Luton Town’s Football Club’s Power Court and Newlands Park developments, announced this morning by Luton Borough Council on BBC Three Counties by Justin Dealey, which means that a decision will now NOT take place in the week commencing August 20:
Campaign chairman, Nigel Green, said: “Save Our Town is as disappointed as everyone else by the news that there will be a further delay before a planning decision is made on Newlands Park and Power Court – but we urge our supporters and the community as a whole to stick together, stay motivated and don’t get distracted, disheartened or side-tracked. We will not be ground down. A few more weeks wait will make the taste of victory even sweeter!
“Businesses, communities, council leaders, politicians, supporters and almost every Lutonian is in favour of this regeneration project, which will act as a catalyst for even greater investment in the town in future years. The one major opponent to the scheme will be thrilled if we resort to cynicism and local finger-pointing.
“Without the involvement of these objectors it is quite possible that a favourable decision would have been made up to a year ago, and construction would probably be well under way by now.
“Without the declared opposition of the one objector, the scheme developer and the council, may not have had to make the application completely bullet-proof against trivial, albeit legitimate, objection as the process nears its end. This bullet-proofing takes up time and resource.
“This delay does not alter our mission, which is to save our town from stagnation, by raising awareness and support for a Luton we all want and deserve.
“We’re in it for the long haul and it’s one of the reasons why, a few weeks ago, we increased our crowdfunding target to £10,000, having been so overwhelmed by the support that meant our original target of £5,000 was reached in just five days. You can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/saveourtownluton and your generous contributions are already helping spread the word and will help us maintain the fight until the first spade goes into the ground.
“Until then, our message to opponents of Luton is this: Don’t mess with Lutonians. We are together, we are united, we want these developments to happen and we WILL get it done.”