Council receives ‘detailed proposals’ for multi-storey car park at Northampton rail station

Cabinet member Councillor Tim Hadland has said that dialogue between the council and Network Rail has been progressing more recently, and it appears that it has now helped form the first concrete proposals in many months.

The project has been consistently delayed dating back as far as 2015, when it formed a key part of the Conservative manifesto for the borough council elections.

But a delayed feasibility study, followed by a change of the rail franchisee from London Midland to London Northwestern Railway, have proved obstacles along the way.

Council leader Jonathan Nunn had told the Local Democracy Reporting Service only last month that discussions were continuing, saying: “When the franchisee of the rail line changed we went back to square one.”

But in his latest monthly written report to full council, to be discussed on June 17, Councillor Hadland writes: “There is positive progress in the discussions with Network Rail and their partners to bring this important development for Northampton forward.

“A detailed proposal from Network Rail has just been received and is being considered.”

Network Rail has been contacted to determine what the detailed proposals entail, but previous versions of the scheme included 1,300 spaces, a lift and a bridge, offering passengers direct access to the ticketing floor of the station.

A temporary metallic multi-storey car park has been in place since the station was redeveloped, but speaking last month, Liberal Democrat leader Sally Beardsworth said: “It still looks unfinished and is not particularly attractive.”