THE PLANS

WHAT: Market Square redevelopment

DETAILS: The latest scheme is to cut the Market Square in half and introduce a giant 20ft television screen to show events such as Wimbledom, as well as undercover stalls and a new fountain. Another plan is to hang a massive sheet covered with art around Waterloo House to hide the 'ugly' office block. Northampton Borough Council are also proposing to create two removable canopies one at the entrance to the market and one in the centre. Underneath would be places for people to sit, eat and buy food.

TIMEFRAME: Work on the £900,000 first phase which includes rearranging the layout of the stalls (again, following rearrangement two years ago under the previous administration), employing an events coordinator and buying collapsible stalls, is planned for the beginning of 2009.

REACTION: There has been strong backlash to the plans particularly the television screen. Many people want to see the market stalls revived rather than the introduction of "gimmicks". Market user Dave Allen from Lings, Northampton, slated the plans as "ridiculous ideas from out-of-touch councillors." Meanwhile Independent borough councillor Tony Clarke said the Market Square should be kept as a traditional market and the plans were a 'folly'. Market trader Eamonn Fitzpatrick said the plans would "signal the end of the market". However reintroducing a fountain has been welcomed by many shoppers.

WHAT: St John's Cultural Quarter

DETAILS: Ambitious plans were announced in July to transform the centre of town around Guildhall Road, Angel Street and Bridge Street. The scheme would include creating two new public squares around the new entrance to the Royal and Derngate Theatre, and introducing cafes, bars and restaurants to the area. The project also includes scrapping the one-way system around the Plough Hotel, building a new hotel opposite Morrisons, new shops along Guildhall Road and extending the museum. A number of car parks would be built over to accommodate all of this development, being replaced by out of town park and ride schemes.

TIMEFRAME: The entire multi-million scheme could take 20 years but some elements could begin as early as 2010, claim Northampton Borough Council. The public squares could be the first to be developed along with bars and restaurants in the next two to five years.

REACTION: Although the plans have not met with opposition there is much cynicism amongst the public that they are simply 'pie in the sky' and will never materialise. And Robert Dunstall, owner of a jewellers in St Giles Street, believes the plans neglect the rest of the town centre rather than compliment it. He said: "It sounds like a new town centre when the old town centre is crumbling with empty retail units. To think of spending millions of pounds of public money on a new culture area in this particular economic climate is lunacy."

WHAT: Gold Street development

DETAILS: Work has already started on improving the 'gateway to Northampton' by making the route from the train station to the town centre, along Marefair and Gold Street, more pedestrian friendly. The route will only be accessible to buses and taxis and pavements will be widened so pedestrians have priority. Additional benches and street lighting will also be put in place. Other roadworks in the area already completed are the Gas Street junction which now has traffic lights, and a new layout at Black Lion Hill around the train station.

TIMEFRAME: The £6million Gold Street scheme began in May and was due to be complete by November however it has overrun and is now scheduled to finish in the New Year.

REACTION: Although shops and drivers have complained about the delays caused by the roadworks they have been broadly accepted. Driver Richard Smith, from The Mounts, uses the route around Horsemarket and Gas Street almost everyday as he travels from home to St James Mill. He said: "The traffic lights at Gas Street roundabout mean the traffic actually flows much better now, although it was a nightmare when they were doing the work. Although it is a short term pain I think in the long run it will make the whole area much better for both vehicles and pedestrians."

WHAT: Marina and skatepark

DETAILS: Ambitious plans were put forward in June to transform Becket's Park by creating a £1m nationally recognised skatepark and a 60-berth marina. The proposals also include a cafe, visitor centre and cycle hire plus updated facilities for the town's award-winning Sea Cadets. Northampton Borough Council is currently running a consultation on the plans before a masterplan is revealed later this summer. The park could also be improved physically with high quality paving, lighting and street furniture. There is also plans afoot to remodel the trees to provide a sightline to the waterfront and have a brickwork feature at the entrance to the park.

TIMEFRAME: The masterplan was due to be launched sometime in August but is still pending. However the park has already received £357,000 together with Midsummer Meadow, to link them to Barnes Meadow and Upton, creating a linear park into Northampton along the riverbanks. The money, given by Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited and Northampton Borough Council, will also pay for the seating areas, pathways and entrance to Becket's
Park. A £1.8m bid is also underway for a cycle route along the river.

REACTION: Skateboarders have welcomed the news following the closure of the popular Radlands Skate Park in 2003. But other people have commented that the plans are too ambitious and will never go beyond discussion level. Chron reader Sean Anderson commented on the website: "I'd like to see the council bring a plan to fruition. To finish something that they start and finish it properly."

WHAT: Rapid Transport System

DETAILS: Developed jointly by Northamptonshire County Council and the Highways Agency, the £5.3m scheme consists of a number of measures to improve the busy A45 in the form of bus lanes and lanes for vehicles with more than one person. This would include bus priority measures on the local road network at either end of the route, alongside a high occupancy vehicle lane on the A45. The bus rapid transit will take the form of a traditional bus (not a guided bus as previously described) that could use the high occupancy lane.

TIMEFRAME: Dependent on funding which will be confirmed in the New Year.

REACTION: The scheme is at the top of a list created by West Northamptonshire Development Corporation, who have asked the Government for £40m for a series of projects. However some people have criticied the scheme for being 'pointless' as buses already run between the two towns. There has also been confusion over the nature of the project which was first thought to be a guided bus scheme as was mooted by Northampton Borough Council in the 1990s. However the council have since clarified that it would not be guided buses on rails and now describe it as a 'bus rapid transit system'.