Northampton car dealership will relocate if planning permission is granted for six-storey block of flats

A Northampton car dealership will relocate within the town if planning permission for high rise flats is approved on its current site.

Tony Brooks in Court Road, which has been open since 1983, is currently the subject of a planning application for a six-storey building of 52 flats.

The owner of the dealership says he has been approached by numerous developers over the years due to the businesses’ prominent town centre location on the corner of St Peter’s Way and Horseshoe Street.

Catherfield Developments - the company responsible for the latest planning application - approached Mr Brooks a number of months ago with an offer he is willing to accept.

However, he understands that there are a lot of hurdles to jump in terms of completing reports and receiving the correct permission to develop such a building, so the relocation may not come into fruition.

Mr Brooks said: “If the planning application goes through, I will relocate.

“I am hoping to find somewhere locally in the town centre so I can continue to serve our customers.

“But it is at the very early stages.

“Someone has made me an offer, which has happened quite a lot over the years because of the prominent position in the town, but they still need to get planning permission and everything else in place.

“If they can’t get planning permission for 52 flats, only 42 and they then can’t offer me what they originally offered, it might not go through.

“This happened 11 years ago and it never went through.

“Assuming they get the planning permission and come back and offer me what I want, we will relocate, but it won’t be for months as these things take a while.”

If approved, the six-storey block of flats would consist of 31 one-bed flats and 21 two-bed, a 20-space car park, 16 bicycle spaces, two communal amenity spaces and a building plant room.

The properties would be placed on the open market for sale and rent, aimed at people ‘working in the immediate area and public transport commuters’ due to proximity to amenities and workplaces, as well as the railway station.

Any comments on the proposals need to be submitted to Northampton Borough Council by March 25, before submissions can be heard and a decision can be made.

Full plans can be viewed on the council’s website here, where comments can also be submitted.

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