Work 'well underway' to convert former Northampton office block into 60 'affordable' council flats

Work is “well underway” to convert a former office building in Northampton into 60 “affordable” council flats.

Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH), which runs the council’s housing stock, is converting part of Riverside House in Bedford Road into flats.

Olukunle Olujide, director of development at NPH said: “We are currently working on an exciting development at Riverside House on behalf of West Northamptonshire Council (WNC).

"Work is well underway to convert the majority of this former office building into 60 much needed affordable apartments.

"We expect completion of the main development in autumn this year.”

NPH has this month submitted another planning application in regards to the same building as the ground floor has recently become available.

Mr Olujide said: "The ground floor of the building was not included in the original plans… we are working with colleagues at WNC to review options for the ground floor accommodation.

"The recently submitted planning application is intended to establish a feasibility option, which in turn will help to inform a full options appraisal of the ground floor use. With this in mind, no decision on the future use of the ground floor has been made as the option appraisals are at an early stage.

"We look forward to sharing news about this part of the development as soon as we can.”

Councillor Danielle Stone, of the Castle ward, said when the plans were first revealed that she was “absolutely delighted” with the project.

She said: “I just wanted to register my absolute delight at projects like this. I think it’s really important that we take every opportunity to invest and build housing.”

NPH is also in the process of building a 126-home council estate in Spring Boroughs, which has a target finish date for late 2023. The development will provide 24 family houses and 102 apartments, replacing the former accommodation and increasing the number of homes on site by 44.

However, the Spring Boroughs construction work has been delayed after the remains of a medieval home were discovered on the site.

Jonathon Elston archaeologist project officer said: “The development by NPH has given us the fantastic opportunity to investigate what would have been a significant area of Northampton during the late Saxon and medieval periods."