Barren plot and car park next to Sol on Northampton's Marefair earmarked for block of townhouses

An empty plot and a car park on Northampton Marefair is being eyed up by the borough council to become a block of 82 apartments.

The barren square between Chalk Lane and the Sol building was once an office building that was demolished in 2015. Since then, the plot has stood empty and closed off by a border of tired purple wooden boards.

Now, the borough council has revealed plans to use the plot and the Doddridge Street car park at the rear to build a block of townhouses with 82 apartments.

It comes alongside several other large-scale projects to create housing in the town.

The dilapidated Belgrave House on Greyfriars is set to become 120 flat for 'key workers' when it is renovated into 'The Clock House', with priority for people who can reach their place of work within a 10-minute walk.

Meanwhile, there are plans to also convert both Beaumont House on Billing Road and Riverside House on Bedford Road into 60 social-housing flats each. The leasehold for both need to be acquired for around £10m each.

The plans would require demolishing the nearby council-operated 67-space Doddridge Street car park.

It comes as the council also firmed up plans to build a 1,300-space multi-storey car park at Northampton Railway Station, which would also be operated by the borough council.

The townhouses plan has not yet been put to the borough council's planning board. Councillor Tim Hadland said the plan should see "some very significant progress very soon."