Major step forward for £130m redevelopment project

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and regeneration specialist Cityheart have agreed to develop Northampton’s Four Waterside and Marefair sites.

The agreement will be formalised in the coming weeks.

Cityheart will be working in partnership with WNC to build the scheme, which is off St Peter’s Way next to the Railway Station. The project will deliver a mixed-use scheme for the town centre, bringing forward a brownfield site that has been vacant for over a decade.

It will include grade A office space, a hotel, homes including an extra care facility as well as improved areas of public realm and open green space.

Cityheart and WNC will now prepare a planning application for the remediation works, which are expected begin in the Autumn.

As part of the next steps, public engagement activity on the development proposals will take place in the Summer, ahead of the planning application being submitted in the Autumn.

Cityheart councillor Daniel Lister, cabinet member for local economy, culture and leisure said: “We are delighted that our partnership with Cityheart will enable us to deliver this significant development. Their expertise will be invaluable in transforming the two vacant brownfield sites and providing high-quality facilities to meet the needs of our local community and benefit our local economy.

“This area has stood empty for too long, and once complete, this development will enhance the wider transformation of Northampton town centre, benefiting residents and businesses from across the area.

“It’s an exciting time for one of the key gateways into Northampton having recently entered into an agreement with John Lobb, Hermes, for the redevelopment of the Horizon House site and with the development of the Marefair Heritage Park site which is set to start in March.”

Andrew Sanderson, development director, Cityheart added: “We are incredibly proud to be developing this important scheme with West Northamptonshire Council. Our vision is to deliver waterside homes, commercial and leisure facilities as well as highly sustainable workspaces in a site which will open up the town centre from the rail station.”

The project is supported by a £1.5m grant from The Towns Fund and a further £7m from the Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone. WNC has secured £24.9m to invest into transforming Northampton’s town centre, with several projects already underway.

Turley is acting as planning consultants for the project.