West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has appointed a team of regeneration and placemaking experts to create a bold new masterplan for Northampton Town Centre—a long-term vision to revitalise the area, attract investment, and improve everyday life for residents and businesses.
The masterplan will set out exciting opportunities for the town centre over the next 15 years, helping to shape a thriving, vibrant, and welcoming place for the future. The plan will work alongside the emerging West Northamptonshire Local Plan which identifies new places for schools and health facilities.
This plan will:
- Enhance connectivity and accessibility: Improve pedestrian routes, making it easier to navigate, while enhancing the gateways into the town.
- Culture and leisure opportunities: Enhance cultural and leisure spaces and providing more recreational activities.
- Community facilities and public spaces: Create inviting and accessible public spaces, promoting a sense of community and improving the quality of life for residents.
- Diverse and inclusive housing: Provide new locations for inclusive neighbourhoods with a mix of residential spaces, benefiting from sustainable transport options and increasing footfall within the centre.
- Celebrate and enhance the town’s rich heritage: Maximise the town’s unique assets and strengthen connections with these to increase community pride.
- Boost economic growth: Identify new opportunities for businesses and investments, creating job opportunities and supporting existing businesses.
Since 2019, WNC has secured over £50 million in investment to transform Northampton, with future developments bringing forward a further £500m in private sector investment in years to come, including major projects:
- The Market Square and Abington Street regeneration – creating flexible spaces that allow the town centre to hold more events and adapt to the changing retail patterns.
- 24 Guildhall Road – An expanded contemporary art gallery, artist studio space and business spaces in the heart of the town.
- Market Walk/Stack – Large food hall and leisure/entertainment offer opening in the town centre in 2026.
- Four Waterside development – bringing new business and leisure opportunities.
- Greyfriars redevelopment – unlocking Northampton’s biggest regeneration sites.
This new masterplan will build on these existing projects and identify the next big opportunities to deliver improved spaces for local residents and businesses.
WNC has committed to working with the local community to develop the masterplan and public consultation will begin in early summer 2025. Residents, businesses, and stakeholders will have the chance to share their ideas and priorities for the town centre’s future.
Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure at WNC, said: “Northampton is undergoing a period of transformational change, and this masterplan will set out the next phase of regeneration projects. Combining new investment with our existing schemes, the town is benefitting from improved public spaces and leisure facilities.
“As part of the public engagement, we want to hear from the people who know Northampton best—its residents and businesses—to ensure the projects meet the needs of the local community.”
The masterplan will be developed by a team of regeneration experts including:
- Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios as lead masterplanners, a multi-award-winning architectural and urban design practice.
- Planit-IE as landscape and public realm designers.
- Civic Engineers as transport and movement specialists.
- Cushman & Wakefield providing commercial and market information.
- Deetu leading on consultation and engagement.
Alex Whitbread, Partner, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, added: “Northampton is a town with a rich heritage, a vibrant community, and a unique identity. This transformative masterplan will authentically capture its essence, fostering civic pride and creating a distinctive, progressive future.
“We are delighted to be appointed as lead architects for the Northampton Town Centre Framework and look forward to unlocking its full potential, attracting visitors, businesses, and new residents to be part of its exciting evolution.”
