Work to build up to 91 homes on a historical site in Northampton town centre will start later this year

WNC received £1.368 million from the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) for the St James depot, which has been vacant since 2013. This will allow it to carry out works to remove asbestos, soft strip out and partly demolish structures on site to make way for a proposed housing scheme.

The authority’s cabinet will meet next week to hear an update on the project’s progress and approve the appointment of a contractor. As part of the grant, contracts for the remedial works must be signed by the end of March to release the BLRF funding.

A council report noted “significant challenges” affecting the viability of the site’s regeneration, including ground contamination and structural deterioration. It said without public sector intervention the market would not be able to deliver the regeneration scheme.

According to the report, there is no anticipated pressure on WNC finances.

The vacant building has historically been used as a tram and bus depot, but was sold to Church’s Shoes for redevelopment after its closure. After more than a decade, Church’s expansion plans did not come forward and the site was bought back by the council in 2023, for double the original sale price.

WNC added that undertaking the remedial works would allow developers to begin regenerating the site, which it says is “contributing to the decline of the town centre” in its current state.

The vision for the residential-led refurb includes the retention of the original tram facades, with “tramshed terraces” in between and then new build maisonettes and townhouses across the rest of the site. The authority says up to 91 homes could be built on site, as well as a new public realm.

Due to timescales to achieve planning permission, it is expected remediation and demolition works will start in autumn 2025 and take up to 12 months to complete. The council will then seek a development partner for the housing scheme once the remedial works have finished.