Photos show start of works to transform two car parks in Northampton into £1.6 million-pound heritage park

Aerial photos from Arrun Day reveal the ongoing work at Chalk Lane and Doddridge Street car park, which show huge holes dug by archaeologists during preparatory works.

Chalk Lane car park, which temporarily closed on Tuesday, July 16, to facilitate preparatory work for the new Marefair Heritage Park, will now remain closed until August 12. The car park had been due to reopen today (July 25), but the extent of the work required was ‘greater than originally planned’, according to West Northants Council (WNC).

WNC has been asked if archaeologists have discovered anything on site.

Planning permission was granted in May to transform Chalk Lane Car Park in Marefair into a new park that celebrates the heritage of the former castle and local area.

Marefair and its surroundings have a rich history as the site of the once-famous Northampton Castle. The area is home to several archaeological excavation sites and historic buildings, including the Old Black Lion Pub, Hazelrigg House, Castile Hill URC, St Peters Church, and a former Saxon Palace.

The new park will feature green spaces, trees, play areas, heritage timeline poles, community gardens, pathways, and lighting.

WNC secured £1.6 million from the Government’s Towns Fund for the creation of the Heritage Park. Additional funding includes £427,000 from S106 and £242,000 from West Northamptonshire Council. The project timeline is as follows:

Works start on site: Summer 2024

Works finish: Winter 2024/25

Project opening: Spring 2025

Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration, and Growth, said: “Marefair provides the entrance into our town from the train station. This exciting project will provide crucial open green space for the communities of Spring Boroughs to enjoy and learn more about the town’s history.”

Wider Plans for Waterside and Marefair Transformation

WNC has wider plans to transform the Waterside and Marefair area, which includes the development of Four Waterside.

According to WNC, this project offers the opportunity to create a new, ‘high-quality’ business destination in the East Midlands, ‘stimulating economic growth’ and attracting more visitors to the town.

WNC has procured national regeneration developer Cityheart as their preferred development partner to advance the Four Waterside and Marefair sites.

Work is anticipated to start in 2025, providing a new hotel, ‘grade A’ office space for new and existing businesses, ‘high-quality’ homes, extra care facilities, and improved paving and planting to ‘elevate the area’.

The programme for this project is as follows:

Planning Application: Summer 2024

Works start on site: Spring 2025

Works finish: Summer 2032

Project opening: Summer 2032

Funding for this project includes £1.75 million from the Towns Fund and £7 million from the Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone.

This redevelopment aims to ‘breathe new life’ into Northampton, making it a ‘vibrant’ and ‘thriving hub’ for both businesses and residents, according to West Northamptonshire Council.