New homes for former University campus approved – for a second time

Granted permission a month ago by members of Northampton Borough Council’s planning committee, the scheme had to come back before the committee for redetermination after a late submission was not shown to councillors when they made their original decision.

The hybrid application includes a full application to partially demolish the Maidwell building on the site. It will see the Northern and Southern wings of the square building – which fronts St George’s Avenue and was built in 1932 – demolished, while the West and East wings of the building would be converted into 26 apartments. There would be a new ‘infill’ terrace between the retained parts of the building that would offer an extra 32 residential units in two five-storey terraces.

It was regarding the demolition of this building that the late submission was entered. In the end, it made little difference, as councillors once again approved the application unanimously when they met on Tuesday evening (November 24).

The second part of the scheme was for an outline application for the demolition and conversion of existing buildings and the erection of 112 new residential units. The outline application effectively requests permission to develop the land for this kind of purpose.

A further ‘reserved matters’ application will now be submitted later down the line detailing the design of the new units. It is understood though that they are likely to be a mix of houses and two to four-storey high apartments.

Catherine Mason, the planning consultant speaking on behalf of the University, told councillors that the sale of the site and the receipt it would generate would be the ‘final piece of the jigsaw for the new Waterside campus’ as it is still repaying loans that helped to develop the new campus.