All the houses in one Northampton town centre street are due to be emptied in the next few weeks so they can be demolished.
The 10 properties in Tanner Street, close to the town’s railway station, have been living on borrowed time since plans to redevelop the area were announced five years ago.
And during a meeting of the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) this week, the organisation’s chief executive, Peter Mawson, announced their end was now near.
He said: “We’re starting to plan for the demolition of the properties in Tanner Street now.
“Within the next four to six weeks, all the properties in the street will be vacated.”
When plans to redevelop the area around Tanner Street were first revealed in 2008, some people who had lived in the street for more than 60 years, expressed fears they would lose their homes.
In the subsequent years however, the WNDC has bought all the properties in the street as well as several nearby business units in order to push forward the area’s regeneration.
Lengthy talks have also been taking place with National Grid, who own the two gas holders next to Tanner Street, which are also set for demolition.
Mr Mawson said: “National Grid are soon to formally confirm that the gas holders are non-operational, which has clearly been the case for a while. Negotiations about the future of the site have not yet concluded, but they are moving forward positively.”
Once the whole area is cleared, it is planned to build offices on the land.
The West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC)has revealed that it has spent £9.5 million on regeneration projects in Northampton during the past financial year. The figure includes £5.4 million towards the town’s new railway station, which is due to be completed next year. In the coming financial year, the organisation will have a further £14.5 million to invest in projects in the town. At the end of March 2014 however, the WNDC will cease to exist. It will be replaced by a new body which will be led by Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council. The exact make up of that new body is not yet known.
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