The Cumberland Street project in Luton town centre will consist of three main blocks, the largest at 21 storeys, with the others stepping down from 16- to 10 storeys.

A large basement car park will be provided at lower ground floor, ground floor and first floor levels.

Plans were voted through despite concerns over its height and impact on the nearby listed St Mary’s church.

JRL said the project would make an important contribution to the regeneration of the Castle Quarter area of the town centre removing an unsightly piece of empty land in this prominent location.

The scheme will consist of 246 market sale flats ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms.

London-based Gardner Stewart Architects designed the building with a warehouse look to reflect the previous industrial use of the site.

JRL is expected to self-deliver most of the building packages on the complex, which is budgeted to cost around £40m to build.