Work worth £136m to start on former bus station

Bute Street car park, which closed in May, is the site of the new development

Final contract talks have begun over the £136m regeneration of a former bus station and car park in a town centre.

Luton Borough Council wants to build almost 300 homes, shops and a performance venue called The Stage on the site of the former Bute Street railway station - which was replaced by a bus station and later demolished in 2008.

Planning permission for the four-acre (1.6 hectares) site, which was most recently a town centre car park, was granted by the council in June.

There are also plans for a new public square, a pedestrian route from Bute Street to Church Street, private residential and communal gardens and parking.

Two residential blocks of nine and 10 storeys are included in the plans

This scheme includes two nine-to-10-storey blocks providing 292 homes and a two-storey to five-storey mixed-use building to which the community would have access.

Luton Borough Council estimates the project will create 242 jobs.

A council spokeswoman said final contract negotiations were under way.

The authority added that construction was expected to start later this year with completion due at the end of 2026.

The plans include a performance venue, to be called The Stage

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the planning meeting was told the development would be part of Luton Borough Council's plan for town centre regeneration.

Planning consultant for the project, Lisa Skinner, explained: "The Luton town centre master plan sets out the vision to regenerate this area and has been key to the project.

"This development creates a gateway to the town centre and the railway station. It also provides links to other areas, such as Power Court."