Delays to town's £136m project over failed plans

A £136m town centre regeneration project has been delayed by a building safety regulator as the plans did not meet the required standard.

The Stage flagship mixed-use development in Luton is due to be built on the site of the former Bute Street railway station - which was replaced by a bus station and later demolished in 2008.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) said there had been several applications "one of which was rejected as it failed to demonstrate that the buildings, if constructed as designed, would meet legal requirements".

Luton Borough Council said it was committed to ensuring "our application for the Stage development fully meets the required standards".

A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive, the umbrella organisation for BSR, said: "The building control processes introduced following the Grenfell Tower tragedy are a vital safeguard, aimed at raising fire and structural safety standards across the built environment."

They added that detailed plans submitted by the applicant for the Stage development around fire and emergency safety matters were not adequate or clear and there were a number of concerns over structural issues.

A spokesperson for Luton Borough Council said: "We have consistently provided comprehensive information to support our application, responded promptly to any requests for clarification, and made adjustments where required."

The development, which is underpinned by £20m of levelling up funding, includes flats, a multi-purpose performance and community area, a food court and commercial space, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Luton Borough Council's director of property and infrastructure Roger Kirk told the scrutiny finance review group on Tuesday that the delay in approving the project was costing the authority £100,000 a month.

He said the application was submitted in July 2024 and the council's "best guess at present is that the negative impact, in terms of the capital project, is less than £1m."

He said the regulator had requested a third extension until July 11 and added he was confident of a positive outcome.

A spokesperson for the authority said: "We appreciate the pressures faced by the BSR as a newly established regulator and remain committed to working constructively with them to ensure our application fully meets the new standards."

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