Council set to approve £4.6 million facelift to 'revitalise' shopping areas in Northampton town centre

Councillors are set to give a green light for a £4.6 million plan as the next stage of bringing Northampton town centre back to life.

West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (February 15) will be asked to approve spending on enhancing Abington Street and Fish Street.

Cash from a £24.9 million kitty won by the council from the government's Towns Fund is earmarked to 'revitalise the pedestrianised areas of Northampton’s main shopping streets with improvements enhancing the experience for pedestrians and families.'

Planning will likely take another year with work commencing in summer 2023 and completion by spring 2025.

It follows work on an £8.4million revamp of the Market Square, funded by the government's Future High Streets fund, which is due to start this summer and take two years.

Other money from the Towns Fund has been earmarked for redeveloping the former Marks and Spencer and BHS stores, the Four Waterside development near Northampton train station, an Arts Centre and Heritage Gateway.

Reports on the business case for the M&S and BHS sites are due to go before next month’s Cabinet meeting.

Another £4.2 million is set aside for Emporium Way — connecting Market Square to the former Greyfriars bus station site which, the report says, will 'unlock one of the major opportunity areas in the town centre.'

Consultants Gillespies, who drafted the plans, confirmed Abington Street’s overall appearance is 'tired' and 'out of date.'

Gillespies — who also created their vision for the Market Square — identified 'key issues' within Abington Street and Fish Street including mixed and poor quality paving ‘patched’ with tarmac and large amounts of street clutter including bollards, lighting, bins, telephone booths, advertisement units.

According to the council report to be discussed on Tuesday: "The focus of the project is to create high-quality areas that are attractive and inviting to shoppers and visitors.

"To achieve this, it is proposed that both Abington Street and Fish Street will be resurfaced in granite, there will be more and improved seating to promote active uses of the streetscape and increase dwell time; improved signage, lighting, tree planting and soft landscaping.

"Pop-up market stalls could be included on Abington Street with service points which could also be used for entertainers. "

The report also proposes 'a bespoke and eye-catching overhead lighting feature on Fish Street.'