The site of Vauxhall’s Luton plant has been bought by an undisclosed commercial owner, days after the last van rolled off its production line.
The industrial estate off Kimpton Road has been used for manufacturing cars and vans since 1905 – but finished production on Friday.
Luton Council said its “serious and competitive bid” to buy the land was rejected and that owner Stellantis – which also runs Citroën and Peugeot – had sold it to an unnamed buyer.
The car giant declined to comment further.
A spokesperson for Luton Council said: “Although we were not successful in our attempts to purchase the site, we look forward to working with the new owners on the regeneration of this hugely important strategic site for our town.”
They added they were hoping to “see a mix of commercial and industrial uses creating quality new jobs for local people and bringing vital investment to our town”.
When Three Counties asked Alberto Martin, the chief executive of nearby London Luton Airport, if he would be interested in purchasing the land, he said: “It is something we would of course consider, very seriously.”
He stressed that the airport, like Vauxhall, was a key employer in the town and was keen to continue “delivering opportunities for local businesses, for local people and our passengers.”
Parent company Stellantis announced the closure of the van plant in Luton with plans to move electric van production to another site in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
It has been estimated that more than 1,000 jobs have been put at risk by the move.
