The second phase of engagement to redevelop the Greyfriars area in Northampton launches today. People across West Northamptonshire are being invited to view plans which have been shaped by feedback from the community following the initial engagement which launched in December 2023.
The proposals include redevelopment of the former Greyfriars bus station site, the Corn Exchange Building, Belgrave House, the Mayorhold Multistorey Car Park, the Victoria Street Car Park, and the areas known as the east and west islands.
Greyfriars is the largest brownfield opportunity within West Northamptonshire and represents a significant opportunity to deliver transformative change for the town. The site boasts a prime location at the heart of town, next to the ongoing transformation of the historic Market Square and redevelopment of the former Marks and Spencer’s and BHS units. The central location provides a unique opportunity to transform this part of the town centre and have a positive impact on the wider area.
Greyfriars will be a new vibrant neighbourhood within Northampton town centre, it will provide new homes for all and breathe life and energy into abandoned buildings. It will restitch forgotten connections and create new ones, amplifying the impact of nature and creativity throughout with Northampton’s first town park as its centrepiece.
During a first round of engagement held between December 2023 and January 2024, over 1,500 people shared their thoughts on the emerging vision to transform Greyfriars. The second phase of engagement reflects this feedback with a refreshed vision and set of proposals.
The vision seeks to deliver a mix of new homes including student, later living, cooperative living, build to rent and build to sell. Over half of the respondents to the first round of engagement stated they would consider living here with the introduction of active travel, culture and a new park.
The online engagement launches Wednesday 8 May and will run through until Sunday 9 June. Visit ampnorthampton.com to view the emerging vision to amplify the area and have your say. In person event will take place at the Grosvenor Centre, Northampton on Saturday 1 June between 9am and 5pm.
Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNC, said: “We are delighted than more than 1,500 people responded to the first stage of engagement for the future plans for the Greyfriars site. We are taking an exciting step forward to further enhance our vision as we launch the second stage of our engagement and showcase our vision for the area, which has been shaped by the community during the first engagement which took place earlier this year.
“I would encourage everyone to come along to the in-person event to speak to our team of experts about the vision for this area and have their say to help shape the future of this part of Northampton.”
This area will be enhanced by a new Greyfriars park running along Lady’s Lane with an outdoor amphitheatre and pedestrian first landscape. A renewed Corn Exchange will act as a multi-use culture led hub that welcomes performance, classes and showcase; while the transformed Belgrave House will be transformed into a creative, cultural and community building that celebrates the thinkers and movers of Northampton. More than 70% of responses to the initial engagement expressed a need for a park, and cultural facilities in this area.
More than 100 people provided additional comments during the first engagement highlighting the need for improved bus services in the area. The existing bus station doesn’t allow for the growth of bus services to meet the growing demand. As part of this, WNC is exploring the opportunities to enhance Northgate bus station. This includes the extension of the station to allow for more capacity and the centralisation of buses, increasing the reliability of services and new waiting rooms and facilities to improve passenger experience.
The proposals have been crafted by a multi-disciplinary team led by Studio Egret West, who have been commissioned by West Northamptonshire Council to craft the vision for the area. This team comprises urban designers, architects, landscape architects, and transport, commercial and sustainability experts.
David West, Founding Director, Studio Egret West added: “Building upon the enthusiasm for and feedback on our initial proposals, we are excited to showcase our evolved vision to revamp Greyfriars. It is an energetic and transformational framework, curated to inject life back into this forgotten part of the town.”