Vauxhall casino delay

	It was hoped the old factory could be transformed into a super-casino, similar to the one announced recently by the Government for Manchester

The odds are quite high, if town councillors play their cards right and convince developers to go ahead with their plans.

Designs have been drawn up for a large gambling centre which also includes 1,000 new homes, 500,000 square feet of office space and even parking for nearby Luton Airport.

It was hoped the old factory could be transformed into a super-casino, similar to the one announced recently by the Government for Manchester. But planners say they will only offer a licence for a smaller venue. A Luton council spokeswoman told us: "This is clearly a disappointment. The dev­elopers now need to decide if they still want to go ahead."

The 56-acre plot has stood empty since the plant was shut in 2002 after nearly 100 years of vehicle production. Among the models built there were the legendary Viva, Cav­alier and Vectra.