Fresh impetus for focus on sustainable economic and employment growth

Last week I was pleased to be part of two events with business leaders focusing on future economic and employment opportunities arising from planned investment across Luton.

The first of these was the Council’s Think Luton Conference which brought together Luton businesses from a range of sectors to hear about upcoming developments.

With a focus on town centre regeneration and a desire to support new SME start-ups, delegates were able to hear about latest progress on projects including work to open up the River Lea.

The following day Luton Rising hosted a workshop investigating potential concepts for the delivery of Green Horizons Park in and around the airport.

Guests at both events were also able to take a ride on our pioneering Luton DART which will provide a seamless and sustainable transfer to the airport for rail passengers when it opens next year.

Green Horizons Park, formerly known as New Century Park, is a 100-hectare site that could act as another catalyst in Luton’s success.

Located within two-and-a-half hours’ drive time of 28 million, and a similar flight time of hundreds of millions more, the site sits adjacent to the airport.

The workshop was attended by thought-leaders from sectors that can positively impact the future of industry, representing organisations including Stellantis, bp pulse, Ricardo, PwC, Connected Places Catapult, GKN Aerospace, Deloitte, Arup, and the University of Bedfordshire.

Together with Luton Council we looked at the future of finance, technology and sustainability in sectors including aviation, aerospace, real estate, manufacturing, electrification, energy and mobility.

Luton Rising sees Green Horizons Park as a stitch that can link both town and the airport together through a new eco-system that has the potential not just to deliver jobs and growth but to support our social impact mandate.

More events will be planned next year that will enable us to focus more deeply on specific industry sectors, leading local and international businesses, and finance.

There is real opportunity here to deliver an exemplar across innovation, green technology and enterprise, and it is always positive to hear the buy-in and support that exists for Luton’s future.

Local businesses are fundamental to the success and prosperity of our town and its people, and seeing an incredible infrastructure project like the Luton DART was inspiring as we thought about opportunities for town-wide growth.

As Cllr Sian Goding, Luton’s portfolio for regeneration and inclusive growth, told Think Luton delegates: “It’s been an extremely difficult time for many businesses, but with over ￡1.5bn investment coming into Luton, and ￡500m town centre investment, this brings a number of great new opportunities.”

Green Horizons Park offers clear synergies with Luton’s goals to alleviate poverty and become a carbon-neutral town.

This is an all-important part of the longer-term plan to create a strong economy, assist in the recovery, and grow the financial support we are able to provide for Luton’s incredible voluntary and community sector which supports the most vulnerable people in our communities.??