Council to consider plans to remove asbestos from former M&S, BHS and Job Centre buildings in Northampton

A plan to remove all asbestos from three buildings in Northampton ahead of development work will be considered by the council.

West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet will consider plans to carry necessary work to remove asbestos ahead of the demolition of the former BHS, M&S and Job Centre to bring forward the regeneration scheme.

At the cabinet meeting on September 19, councillors will review documents to bring forward the removal of all asbestos from the site to enable the demolition of all buildings to ready the site for construction.

Councillor Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNC, said: "By removing all asbestos and carrying out the necessary demolition of the current buildings we can provide a clear site ready for the developers.

“Ensuring that Northampton is a place where residents and businesses can thrive is a significant priority for us as a council, and the redevelopment of both Wood Street and 35-45 Abington Street will transform this area for our communities.

“Through the densification of the site, it will bring forward new homes and flexible leisure and retail space, which will lead to increased footfall into the centre to support the existing retail offer within the wider town.”

What is happening to the former department stores?

WNC says it will work with a development partner to deliver the project, which will involve the demolition of the existing buildings and the creation of a new mixed-use building consisting of residential on the upper floor with modern retail and leisure units on the ground floor

The work, which will see the former BHS, Clinton and M&S in Abington Street become one premises, is part of a wider town centre regeneration project.

M&S has been empty since the retailer vacated in August 2018, BHS has been empty since 2016 and Clinton since 2020.

The first phase of the project on the former BHS property will see the large central building, measuring approximately 57,087 sq ft / 5,303 sq m undergo a full internal strip out and the removal of any asbestos containing materials, to ensure that the building is safe and secure.

These works form part of the Northampton Town Centre Masterplan (2019). The wider regeneration of Northampton Town Centre includes the Market Square redevelopment which will see this area become a cultural hub for the town centre, and public realm works in Abington Street and Fish Street which will see the area transformed with new paving, improved seating, lighting and landscaping, and public art installations.

The acquisition of the buildings has been supported by the £9.7 million from High Street Fund which WNC secured from central Government towards the wider regeneration of Northampton town centre.

In July 2023, WNC launched the first stage of the procurement process and issued expression of interests to seek a development partner to bring this scheme forward. WNC will be working with potential developers to consider options for the site ahead of appointing one as our preferred development partner.

In August 2023, WNC completed on the purchase of a vacant former job centre, which now brings all of the land for this 1.6 acre site under WNC ownership.