Plans submitted to remove 'tented eyesore' and scaffolding from Bridge Street, Northampton

In a design and access statement submitted to Northampton Borough Council, chartered architects Stimpson Walton Bond, have proposed temporary re-roofing works to Balloon Bar which was damaged along with the adjoining Fat Cat Cafe Bar on January 2, 2012.

The statement said: "This application seeks to remove the temporary scaffold and tent over the building and instead replace it with a temporary roof over at the original roof pitch using a single ply roofing membrane on a new ply decking and new timbers replaced as necessary.

"The installation of a more suitable temporary roof covering will have the obvious benefit of removing the unsightly scaffolding tent which has blighted the townscape in this area for over five years."

The application says there no attempt will be made to insulate the roof as it will be a temporary measure until the redevelopment of the site has been agreed.

It goes on to say the proposals for this are in the early stages of development and talks are being held with the Northampton Borough Council planning department.

Since the blaze more than five years ago, a scaffold has been firmly in place on the popular clubbing street together with a protective scaffolding tent over Balloon Bar to protect it from further damage, architects say.

John Shelton, owner of the Balloon Bar has since reopened the club on the ground floor, but the temporary scaffolding and tent have remained in place.

The architects add: "The current tent structure only provides minimal protection and perhaps most importantly this proposal will remove the tented eyesore from the townscape in this area of Northampton, which has to be in the public interest and that of local councillors."