A seven-storey car park could kickstart the redevelopment of Luton Railway Station after it was given the green light by councillors.

But a dozen objectors living nearby are worried that the new car park in Midland Road will be overbearing and will exacerbate the feeling of separation between High Town and the town centre.

The car park will be built on stilts to straddle a proposed road linking Old Bedford Road and Church Street/Hitchin Road, due to be built in 2010.

Three wind turbines in a helical deign will be fixed to the top to provide a unique feature, councillors on Luton Borough Council's development control committee heard.

A report to the committee said: "This application could be the first step in a series of initiatives designed to regenerate this part of Luton. To the south is the Bute Street car park and bus station. The footbridge connecting the railway station to these facilities is in an appalling state. It provides the worst possible introduction to the town centre for most people arriving by train."

It concludes that the new multi-storey car park could pave the way for the improvement of that area by catering for drivers who currently use the existing surface car parks to the south of the station.