A survey conducted by the town’s two members of parliament, Rachel Hopkins and Sarah Owen, has revealed that 98 per cent of people are in favour of a Luton Town domed academy training facility on Cutenhoe Road, despite the council’s controversial and secretive votes to deny the football club a lease.
The Hatters need the training dome in order to develop their academy from Category 3 to Category 2 status, which would allow them to play in the Premier League’s Under-23 development games programme.
This is seen as a vital component in Town being able to compete with Championship rivals that vastly outspend them and help to provide long-term stability for the club, alongside their forthcoming new stadium at Power Court.
The land at Cutenhoe Road was granted planning consent by the council for a training dome, but despite recommendations for approval from council officers to grant a lease, councillors then controversially went against this advice and, in January, voted in private to deny one.
The Labour controlled Executive Committee cited ‘commercial sensitivities’ and that the land, which has sat derelict for years, was required for a new school and educational use. This is despite no plans being available and two existing schools already either side of the land.
Luton Town FC had even outlined in their proposals that they would give the land back to the council with 12 months’ notice should an educational use come forward.
The Liberal Democrats called in the decision, but in February the council’s overview and scrutiny committee again voted to hold the session in private, where they decided to support the Executive’s decision and not refer it back to Full Council, again scuppering the Hatters’ plans.
At the time, Lib Dem leader David Franks said of Labour councillors: “What are they trying to cover up, what are they hiding from Luton residents?”
And the decision sparked fury from fans and local residents too, prompting MPs Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) and Sarah Owen (Luton North) to take up the mantle and conduct their own survey, which has shown overwhelming support for the training facility.
A joint letter has been published by campaign group Save Our Town from MPs Hopkins and Owen, which is addressed to the council and Hatters chief executives, Robin Porter and Gary Sweet, calling for answers to questions raised by respondents.
They MPs say that ‘a significant number of respondents’ believe that the council’s decision-making was ‘too secretive’ and that ‘not enough explanation was given for refusing to grant the lease, against the advice of Luton Borough Council Officers who recommended that the lease be granted’.
Respondents also questioned ‘the reasoning behind turning down a potential income stream at a time of extreme financial hardship for the council’, brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
In a section directed towards the Hatters, they say that respondents also questioned why the club ‘could not use any of its existing land holdings for the construction of the air dome as it already holds land at Ely Way, Newlands Road, Venue 360 and Power Court’?
Others were concerned about what access there would be for the wider community, though the club’s proposals outlined that the facilities would be made available to local school children.
Signing off their letter, the MPs wrote: ‘We are both keen to help broker a way forward for Luton Town Football Club and Luton Council, and to foster a better understanding of the issues and arguments for all parties.’
I think luton Council ate thick
Fingers crossed the council finally see sense at some point… don’t bet too much on it though