Plans to relocate rugby club approved

The new club would have three full sized pitches, all-weather surfaces, two junior pitches and a two-storey clubhouse with a fitness suite

A rugby club's multimillion-pound relocation to green belt land has been signed off subject to government approval.

Luton Rugby Football Club plans to move across town to what is currently 20 acres of agricultural land in Lower Sundon.

The club hopes its existing ground in Newlands Road beside the M1 will eventually be sold off for housing and will help finance the move.

The development management committee at Central Bedfordshire Council voted in favour of the proposals on Wednesday.

Chris Green, an agent for Kirkby Diamond which represented the club, said the "relocation project is critical to the club's survival".

"This will provide the local authority with a flagship sports facility, which is sympathetic to its surroundings," he explained.

"[The club] will soon turn 100 years old and granting planning permission will be a huge step to securing its existence for the next century."

Access to the site to the new ground - on what is currently fields - is proposed via Sundon Road

The decision to approve the plans follows a request by the council to Bedfordshire Police to investigate more than 2,000 objections - many of which it claimed may have been made under false names.

The force said no action would be taken because Action Fraud - which it referred the case to - had not requested further information.

Three letters of support for the application were sent to the council.

The decision to approve the new rugby ground is subject to approval by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government because it is designated as green belt land.

Chris Green, from agent Kirkby Diamond for the applicant, told the committee the all-weather pitches could be used for other sports as well as rugby