Parties divided over town centre debate
While national newspaper and television coverage of the General Election will focus on whether it will be Gordon Brown, David Cameron or Nick Clegg who secures the keys to 10 Downing Street, many people in Northamptonshire will vote on issues which affect the town and their lives more directly.
Among the hot local topics which are expected to be on people's minds when they go into the polling booths on May 6 will be housing expansion plans for the county and the future expansion of Northampton town centre.
Discussions on how the town centre should be improved over the coming years reached such heights last month, that almost 300 people attended a public debate on the issue at the Guildhall.
And the matter has split the main political parties, with both Labour and the Conservatives saying out-of-town retail developments, such as those proposed at Franklin's Gardens and Sixfields, should be allowed, while the Liberal Democrats insist the town centre should be protected from out-of-town developments and the long-delayed expansion of the Grosvenor Centre should be pushed forward.
The debate angered one businessman so much he has decided to stand in the election himself, campaigning to save the town centre.
Veteran market trader, Eamonn Fitzpatrick, has run a fruit stall on Northampton's market for decades. He said: "At the end of the day, I'm standing in the election for my business and for the town centre.
"I'm going to stick up for it because it's been good to me, but I can see it dying before my eyes.
"The only thing that will bring the town back to life is free parking, but that's not going to happen because the council makes so much money from it.
"And without a shadow of a doubt, more out-of-town development would really harm the town."
Last year, the Saints rugby club revealed plans for Asda to build a store on land close to Franklin's Gardens, releasing cash to expand their stadium.
The Cobblers have been working on similar development plans designed to expand Sixfields stadium for a number of years.
Conservative Brian Binley has backed the plans of both sports clubs, claiming Legal and General's plans to expand the Grosvenor Centre should not take precedent over the development of the rest of the town.
Discussing the long-delayed Grosvenor Centre plan, he said: "Legal and General have messed the town about for almost 11 years. And even if it does ever go ahead, and we don't know if it will, the development work would blight the town centre for years to come.
"I do want to see a healthy town centre, but I want the rest of the town to be able to service residents too.
"It's a fallacy to think out-of-town developments impact dramatically on the town centre because most people don't come into the town centre to do their weekly shop."
Somewhat surprisingly he has been backed by Labour's Sally Keeble, who said she also backed the proposed developments at both Franklin's Gardens and Sixfields.
She said: "Too much time has gone by now to hold up the creation of new shops and other services in Northampton because of the Grosvenor Centre, I think doing that would be a nonsense.
"What we would risk by doing that is not getting a new shopping centre and losing some of our major sports clubs."
Only the Liberal Democrats, with their ‘town centre first' policy are willing to say they oppose new out-of-town developments.
General Election candidate, Andrew Simpson, who is also a member of the Liberal Democrat group in charge of the Guildhall, said: "We are the only party prepared to protect Northampton's small businesses in our town centre and in communities like Kingsley and St James from even more out-of-town retail.
"Moving forward, we must ensure our town centre has a better mix of high street brands and independent shops to allow Northampton to thrive. The Conservatives' approach would set us back.
"Frankly, the Conservatives aren't being straight with people, they say they want to protect our green fields whilst throwing their weight behind speculative, out-of-town retail.
"Clearly, they will say anything to win votes."
Another election candidate with a keen interest in the retail expansion debate is independent Tony Clarke, who, as well as being a member of the borough council, is also a director of Northampton Town Football Club.
He said: "Personally, I think both sides have got it wrong, it's not an all-or-nothing matter, it needs compromise and a common sense approach.
"Not all out-of-town retail will harm the town centre and we need developers and the council working together, not at each other's throats.
"I'm disappointed the parties are playing politics with such an important issue."
Parties divided over town centre debate
By Wayne Bontoft
Chief Reporter
wayne.bontoft@northantsnews.co.uk
Out-of-town developments, particularly near the Saints (above) and the Cobblers stadium are a major issue
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