Former Northampton Job Centre could be turned in 42 flats

Plans to convert a large former job centre in Northampton into 42 flats have been submitted.

Princess House, on Cliftonville Road, just outside the town centre, could be converted from its former use as office space into a new apartment complex.

Developers Prescon Ltd have said each of the flats in the three-storey property will contain a kitchen/ living area, bedroom and bathroom. There are no proposed external changes, with the appearance of the red brick building staying the same.

The site already has its own private parking area, which will provide 55 car parking spaces, including three disabled bays, for future tenants. Parking would be accessed via The Avenue to the rear of the building.

Most recently, the building was occupied as an office by the Job Centre, after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) took over the space in 2021. While currently vacant, the building still falls within office use and requires permission from the council to convert it to residential use.

Plans were previously submitted in December 2024 to convert the property into an educational facility for the Elizabeth School of London. The school already operates on a campus at Notre Dame House, just north of the town centre, and Woodlands House which sits directly next to the Princess House building.

However, the proposals were withdrawn in February this year, shortly before Prescon Ltd’s residential plans were shared with West Northamptonshire Council (WNC).

Members of the public are able to submit comments on the apartment block proposals through the authority’s planning portal until May 25.

WNC has set a target decision date for the scheme on June 22, 2025.