REVEALED: Council admits it doesn't know how many evicted tenants want to return to new multi-million-pound housing estate
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has admitted it does not know how many tenants want to return to a new housing development, due to an administrative error.
In March 2025, after significant delays, construction of 24 modern three-storey properties — known as the Castle Street development — was completed at the former Spring Boroughs council housing estate, off Horsemarket. The homes, built by Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH), which is part of WNC, have now been handed over to the council for allocation — but remain fenced off and empty.
Back in 2021, NPH, on behalf of WNC, told Chronicle & Echo: “Residents of St Mary’s Court and Berkeley House have all been rehoused. However, those who have opted to do so can return to one of the new homes that meets their needs.”
This week, Chronicle & Echo spoke to residents who were kicked out of the Spring Boroughs estate and promised first refusal on the new homes.
Paige, a 32-year-old mum, said: “We didn’t really have a choice to move out. We were forced out. And now they’re telling us we can’t move back because we’ve got a roof over our heads. That’s not the point. We were told we’d be offered the chance.
“We were told it would be a temporary move – and that we could come back. Now they’re saying because we’ve been housed elsewhere, we no longer qualify. That was never the deal.”
She added: “It just feels like the council has gone back on everything they said. We were told we’d be able to go back, but now it’s like none of that happened. I feel completely conned.”
Aaron Shane, 31, said: “I was told I’d get first refusal if I wanted to go back. But I’ve had no contact. I only found out the homes were available when I saw them listed on the bidding site.
“We did everything they asked. We moved out when they needed us to. Now we’re not even being considered. People have had their lives turned upside down by this.
“It’s not just about housing need. It’s about what we were promised. They’ve changed the rules.”
Now, council documents reveal a massive administrative error: the council has lost track of who is eligible to move back into the new homes at Castle Street and the next phase, Roof Gardens.
The report states: “At the time the previous residents were relocated, they were given letters stating they could return to a new property on the site. The council has not been able to clarify with NPH how many residents have these letters, nor how many may wish to act on them. Therefore, it is unclear how many of the new affordable homes will be available to meet the needs of those on the council’s housing register.”
Council documents also include this damning admission: “NPH, on behalf of the Council, made a commitment to former residents of the Roof Gardens/Castle Street site that they could return if they wished. This would be mitigated by re-provision of the same number of affordable homes on the site.”
Just three of the original residents have so far been identified as eligible to return, according to the report.
Addressing the report, a WNC spokesman said: “A report addressing these matters is scheduled to be considered by cabinet shortly. As the information is subject to that process, we’re not in a position to comment further at this stage.”
The next phase of the regeneration, called Roof Gardens, is also being scaled back.
The original plan was for 126 affordable homes across both phases – 102 flats and 24 houses. Now, only 58 flats are planned for Roof Gardens. Combined with the 24 Castle Street homes, that brings the total down to 82 homes, not 126, according to WNC.
The report says: “Faced with significant investment to date, excessive costs to deliver the consented project and a need to change the design in any event, the Council have been exploring various design options to reduce the viability gap and bring forward a project that is affordable and delivers at least the number of homes that were demolished on the site.”
The roof garden – which gave the scheme its name – has also been scrapped. The council will now spend £1 million drawing up a new design.
The report says: “The original, highly aspirational design with gardens on the roof (hence the name of the scheme) will not now be deliverable. However, the aim will still be to deliver a good quality affordable housing scheme befitting the site’s prominent town centre location.”
It is not yet known whether the scheme will be renamed.
The Roof Gardens site sits on the former location of Berkeley House and St Mary’s Court – 82 flats that were demolished after concerns over their condition.
The council’s development partner, NPH, secured planning permission in 2019 for 126 new affordable homes, with an initial budget of £15.87 million.
Demolition began in 2020, but the project was split into two phases due to archaeological delays and rising costs. Castle Street – 24 houses – was finally completed in March 2025.
However, the second phase, the Roof Gardens flats, has yet to begin. The council now estimates the total cost will rise to £23.1 million – nearly £7.2 million more than originally planned.
NPH, which manages social housing for WNC, is facing mounting scrutiny.
In November 2024, the Regulator of Social Housing rated NPH C3 – the second-worst possible grading – citing “serious failings” and a need for “significant improvement.” NPH did not respond when contacted at the time.
The judgement followed WNC’s decision to refer itself to the regulator in September 2024, after a review revealed widespread safety and compliance issues – including missed inspections – in homes managed by NPH.
Now, WNC is actively considering whether to take housing management back in-house. The council’s cabinet will meet on Tuesday, June 24, to discuss the future of the service and the Roof Garden schemes.