Northampton vicarage to be demolished for flats

A historic vicarage in Northampton is set to be flattened to make way for flats and car parking spaces.

A planning application has been submitted to the Guildhall to convert the former vicarage in Semilong Road into 10 new flats.

The documents also outline details for 17 car parking spaces, which is 13 more spaces than the four that exist.

The former vicarage is now a vacant residential building and has been described as 'in a state of repair' by developers.

A previous application was refused by council officers but now ammendments have been made, which include a reduced number of flats and the building will be smaller.

A spokesman for the The Diocese of Peterborough said: "The Diocese of Peterborough first identified the vicarage in Semilong Road as surplus to requirements in 2013, and it was then that it was first put on the market.

"At that point the sale fell through and eventually the property was lived in until early 2017. Having been put back on the market, it was finally sold in March last year (2019) following a bidding process."

Borough councillor for Semilong Les Marriot (Lab) said: "The problem is in the area that so many people live there - Semilong is really compact.

"This planning application is not detrimental to the area but it depends who manages it, ultimatley."