West Northamptonshire Council acquires former vacant Job Centre site

The site is in the heart of the town centre, set just behind Abington Street and the Grosvenor Centre. Having sat vacant for more than a decade the site has fallen into disrepair.

WNC has stepped in and bought the building to ensure that this site benefits from restoration and provides high-quality homes and services for the local community.

The £475,000 freehold price plus costs, was funded through the Towns Fund, which is allocated by Government to enable WNC to transform Northampton Town Centre. WNC has been able to acquire this site to form part of the wider regeneration of the former BHS and M&S stores.

The Towns Fund is part of the Government’s plan for Levelling Up the UK economy and the Council has secured £24.9 million to invest into transforming Northampton’s Town Centre.

The completion coincides with the Expression for Interests as WNC seeks a development partner for the site.

The sites will undergo extensive redevelopment to deliver modern leisure or retail spaces to the ground floor with new homes for resident above.

Through the densification of the site, it will bring forward new homes and flexible leisure space and which will lead to increased footfall into the centre to support the existing retail offer within the wider town.

The next phase of the project on the former BHS property will see the large central building, measuring approximately 60,000 sq ft undergo a full internal strip out and the removal of any asbestos containing materials. This will ensure the building is safe and secure and enable the Council to bring forward the exciting regeneration project at the earliest opportunity.

Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNC, said: "Ensuring that Northampton is a place where residents and businesses can thrive is a significant priority for us as a council, and the redevelopment of both Wood Street and 35-45 Abington Street will transform this area for our communities.

“I would like to thank our partners Evolve for their support in acquiring and completing on the purchase of the building.

"We look forward to beginning the next stages of the project to enhance this area and to shape the future of the town, ensuring that it offers opportunities for businesses and residents alike."

These works form part of the Northampton Town Centre Masterplan (2019). The wider regeneration of Northampton Town Centre includes the Market Square redevelopment which will see this area become a cultural hub for the town centre, and public realm works in Abington Street and Fish Street which will see the area transformed with new paving, improved seating, lighting and landscaping, and public art installations.

To keep up to date with regeneration in Northampton visit www.wearenorthampton.com