New council houses open in Spring Boroughs as part of £9m renovation project

Northampton Borough Council and its housing management organisation Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) celebrated the completion of 18 new council houses in Little Cross Street, Spring Boroughs on Friday (December 21).

The development, known as Little Cross Terrace, is made up of nine flats on Little Cross Street and nine maisonettes on Moat Place, which was officially opened by residents and Northampton South MP Andrew Lewer.

Mr Lewer said: “This is a really exciting new build as part of a much bigger regeneration project for Spring Boroughs.

"It’s great to see something with such a transformation for the people and the area in the neighbourhood, most importantly the consultation with the community and the development of the neighbourhood plan.

"There’s been much emphasis on cutting down on anti-social behaviour, security, green and social space."

The new homes are in addition to 14 other council homes, which were built earlier in the year on Lower Bath Street and Althorp Street - part of a major £9 million regeneration project to improve Spring Boroughs.

A new shop for Nicky’s News on Little Cross Street was opened in September 2017 while a new community centre was opened in Bath Street in November last year.

NPH chief executive Mike Kay said: “We are pleased to provide new family housing in Spring Boroughs. We’re aware of the history in the area and the homes that were here before in Little Cross Street.

"I’d like to thank the Spring Boroughs community for their patience and their involvement throughout this programme of works.

"The community told us what they needed in the area and we have recognised this in these homes. I would like to wish everyone moving in the very best."

NPH has been working closely with the community to build more family homes in the area as well as neighbourhood improvements for residents, including more green spaces to grow food, improvements to existing homes and creating a new community hub for the area.

Zoe Brown, one of the people who moved into the two-bed maisonettes with her family, said: “It’s made this year and next year. I’m thinking through colour schemes and where my furniture will go already.”

NPH is also investing in the Thorplands estate, which will see a new community hub built on the site of the former Tanners pub in Farmhill, which had become a hot spot for vandalism, drugs, taking and rough sleeping in recent years.

Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) has secured £5 million from the borough council budget to renovate the 450 social homes on the estate in a scheme similar to that seen at Spring Boroughs.