A vision for the future economic growth of London Luton Airport and its surrounding region has received the full backing of Ryebridge Construction.
Luton Rising has set out its aim to bring increased prosperity to the town through the proposed expansion of LLA, which not only represents the region’s biggest job creation programme in a generation, but is possible without any Government investment.
Chair Paul Kehoe explained: “Saying yes to the airport expansion is saying yes to the most important driver of economic growth in the region, and to Luton’s transformation into a vibrant service economy. It is central to our mission to raise the standard of living for local residents, eradicate poverty and build an economic air bridge in the heart of the Golden Triangle of London, Oxford and Cambridge.
“The new Government’s focus on growth across the country, to combat the cost-of-living crisis and to prioritise prosperity from sustainable, environmentally-friendly development, all align to Luton Rising’s vision for growth and significant job creation across Luton.”
The economic growth strategy ties in with the Luton 2040 Vision – of which Ryebridge is a partner – which aims to create a healthy, fair, and sustainable town where everyone can thrive, and no one has to live in poverty.
A report from Oxford Economics estimates London Luton Airport’s total impact on GDP to be around £830 million in Luton alone, and expansion would add 11,000 new jobs at the airport and in the supply chain across the region, with around 4,800 directly in Luton.
LLA has provided more than £300 million to support important council frontline services since 1998, together with an additional £180 million for vital voluntary, community and charitable organisations. Should expansion be approved, this impact would virtually triple.
Luton Rising managing director Nick Platts added: “Our vision for Luton is a place where growth, community investment and highly-skilled job creation is happening at scale. All of this is focused on delivering the Luton 2040 Vision and will be a catalyst for delivering a step change in Luton’s enterprise ecosystem.”
Ryebridge Construction has worked hand-in-hand with LLA for 15 years, and was recently recognised as a ‘hero stakeholder’ for the socio-economic value created because of this work, including having apprentices, hiring local people, supporting local schools and colleges, and spending with local businesses.
The company is committed to Luton’s economic growth, which includes drawing on a local pool of talent, ensuring more than 90 per cent of our site and office staff come from the immediate area, supporting flexible working arrangements while going further than the government minimum as a Living Wage accredited organisation, and using a local supply chain to support companies within the Luton area.
Ryebridge also has a leading role in the Luton Development Forum, which brings together various specialists with a common goal of regenerating and rejuvenating the town.
Managing director Sean Scully said: “We recognise that Luton is one of the most socio-economically challenged locations in the country, which is why we support Luton Rising’s life-changing approach to tackling local poverty head-on, and are proud to do our part in achieving the 2040 Vision.”
