Grosvenor developers should "get on or get out" says MP
An MP has said the company behind long-delayed plans to expand the Grosvenor Centre should either "get on with it or get out" after he was not allowed to see details of a deal between the firm and Northampton Borough Council
The Conservative MP for Northampton South, Brian Binley, asked to see a copy of the agreement to redevelop the town centre shopping centre, which was agreed by Northampton Borough Council and mall owners Legal & General, in October last year.
But in an email from the council's cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Richard Church (Lib Dem, Kingsthorpe) he was told he could not see the details because they were "commercially confidential".
Mr Binley has condemned the move, arguing the public needed to know more about the expansion deal, which was first announced in 2000.
He said: "The agreement is central to the debate on the town centre and having an understanding of the agreement is vital to a fair and informed debate.
"The people of Northampton deserve to know the truth of the matter. Our town is more important, has a much longer history and should not be pushed around by a company who has appeared so unhelpful to date. Legal & General should either get on with it or get out."
Both Mr Binley and Councillor Church are due to hold a public debate on the expansion of Northampton later this month. As well as the Grosvenor Centre, items on the agenda are expected to include plans for the expansion of both Sixfields and Franklin's Gardens stadiums, which Mr Binley has backed.
Councillor Church argued the MP had been offered a briefing on the Grosvenor deal ahead of the debate. He said: "If he wants to ask specific questions about the contract I'll try to answer them, and if he wants, he can ask for a meeting with Legal & General and there may be some information they are prepared to show him.
"But I don't understand why Brian is so negative about these plans when they will bring in far more jobs and investment than anything he's talking about."
A date for the town centre debate has not yet been confirmed. Legal & General were unavailable for comment.
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Thursday 09 September 2010
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