Crunch time for £124m access road through New Century Park

Planning permission for the New Century Park access road has still to be signed off because the council has struggled to present a financial case.

Its scrutiny review group looked at the funding package in detail and rejected it as "completely inadequate" in the summer of 2019 (see previous story here).

The site covers about 235 acres over an area that stretches around the periphery of the airport.

Applicant London Luton Airport Limited (LLAL) seeks outline permission for a new business park with offices, warehousing and industrial areas, as well as mixed employment space, a hotel, a cafe area and an energy centre.

And it has submitted full proposals to build the Century Park access road with a new junction on the A1081, changes to the Airport Way roundabout and to Frank Lester Way, and a new access from Eaton Green Road.

This project also includes a new roundabout providing access into a business park, demolition of buildings, and the creation of new public open space to compensate for the loss of Wigmore Valley Park.

There would be an extension to Wigmore pavilion to provide a cafe and extra community space, a new skate park and children's play area built, and a replacement airport technical services building at Century Park.

The executive was due to approve the financial arrangements in November 2019, confirming that the council could justify the expenditure and the necessary borrowing, before a new date of January 13, 2020, was set.

That was put back until February 3, only for a further delay "to allow for more detailed work to support the proposed investment", according to Liberal Democrat group leader and Barnfield councillor David Franks.

"They obviously have still not been able to make a business case to justify the expenditure of £124m of taxpayers' money to finance the new road," he said at the time.

"This is the new road development with which the council plans to concrete over Wigmore Valley Park.

The decision forced the executive to do more work to make the business case stand up to examination.

Work on the road was meant to begin this year and be completed next year.

The project is seen by the airport's critics as the catalyst for its future expansion, including a second terminal.

At present, a case is being made to confirm an airport capacity of 19m passengers a year, although the aim is for 32m a year in the long-term.

Both planning applications are set to be reconsidered by councillors on Wednesday, February 24, according to a committee agenda.

"This is to remind councillors of the position reached when they were presented on March 27, 2019, and to update the committee to reflect the current position and seek confirmation the original decision can be issued.

"It's recognised there's been greater emphasis on tackling climate change since then.

"But sustainability was taken into account at the time, and the development is likely to become more sustainable going forward.

"Regulations will be tightened for new buildings, while diesel and petrol vehicles will be phased out by 2030 contributing to improvements in carbon emissions.

"Overall, the council’s declaration of a climate emergency and of being carbon neutral by 2040 doesn't change the position for granting planning permission now the Section 106 legal agreement has been finalised."