St James Mill Road link in Northampton takes 'another step forward'

At its meeting on Wednesday, January 17, Northampton Borough Council’s cabinet will decide whether to appoint KierWSP to carry out design work.As Northamptonshire County Council’s designated highway contractor, KierWSP would be in a position to deliver the project under its existing framework.Councillor Tim Hadland, borough council cabinet member for regeneration, enterprise and planning, said: “It has taken a great deal of work to get the project to this stage and we are very grateful to partners at the county council and Network Rail for their help so far.“If cabinet colleagues agree, we can press ahead to the delivery stage which will see KierWSP carrying out design work and then submitting a planning application.“We have always believed that delivery of this link road would further improve the accessibility of the Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone, as well as provide a measure of congestion relief, especially on match days.”A link road would also provide better access to brownfield land that is ripe for industrial and commercial development.The project will be part-funded by SEMLEP through the Local Growth Fund II and Growing Places Fund with further costs being met through Enterprise Zone Business Rates Uplift which will see upfront funding from the Borough Council paid back through increased business rates achieved over time.