Luton Town Supporters' Trust podcast - Newlands Park instant reaction special

Kevin Harper, Tony Murray and James Cunliffe were in Luton Town Hall chamber on Monday March 11, a date that will go down in history for Luton Town Football Club and the town of Luton, as the day that Newlands Park was given planning permission. 

The boys gave their instant and emotional reaction straight after the monumental decision by Luton Borough Council, which you can hear being delivered right at the start of this special short bonus episode. 

The town and the club had been given planning permission for Power Court in January, but it was this separate mixed-use development by junction 10 of the M1 that was crucial to providing funding for the club's new 17,500-seat stadium at Power Court.

For two-and-a-half years, it was also hugely opposed by Capital & Regional, the owners of The Mall shopping centre, but they did not even send a representative to the planning meeting to speak on their behalf. Instead they had a letter read out by a council officer, which was duly dispatched in cross examination by the 2020 team.  

Councillors then sided with Luton Town and voted through the application that, together with Power Court, will bring forward an 1,800-capacity music venue, bars, restaurants, leisure and entertainment facilities, offices, business facilities, homes and more. They are set to transform Luton, bring 10,000 new jobs and an annual boost to the local economy of £250million.