Train station car park eyed as space for shops and hundreds of homes by borough council
The borough council's "local plan phase two" was announced last year and listed over 70 spare patches of land across the town that could be developed for housing and shops.
But three large areas that could provide space for another 550 homes have been added to the list - and includes train station car park and the nearby lorry stop.
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Hide AdIt comes as part of the borough council's efforts to build 20,000 extra homes by 2029 to meet population growth - and is currently falling around 3,000 short of that figure.
It includes the 20 acres of land made up of the Northampton train station car park and the lorry stop off of the Super Sausage cafe car park in St Andrew's Road.
In a consultation on the proposals, Network Rail commented that the car park will "be available for development within two years" and a complete redevelopment could be seen within seven years.
This could mean a new centre of shops and businesses could be built outside the train station in place of its car park.
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Hide AdMeanwhile, the railway operator said the Super Sausage car park is "attractive" to residential developers and could make room for 200 news houses or flats.
Meanwhile, 14 acres running along the M1, off Towcester road near the Counties Crematorium, could be used to build an extra 131 homes.
The proposals were part of a consultation that closed in November last year. The borough council will open a second consultation when they have drafted a plan for any sites they hope to use for housing.