A prominent site in the Northampton Enterprise Zone has been purchased by West Northamptonshire Development Corporation.
The brownfield land, which has been derelict for over five years, will be part of a major office development known as St Peter’s Waterside.
The Government regeneration body has been gradually buying land at St Peter’s Waterside, which stretches from opposite Northampton Railway Station to Carlsberg’s UK Headquarters. In May 2012, it launched a Compulsory Purchase Order to complete its acquisition plans and secure the regeneration of the area. Faced with a potential CPO, the owners of the one acre site, Messlorne LLP, have sold the land to WNDC.
Chris Garden, WNDC’s Director of Regeneration said: “Northampton is a popular business location, with firms ranging from Carlsberg to Barclaycard basing their headquarters here. However, there is a clear shortage of high quality office space in the town centre.
“With its prominent setting next to the River Nene, St Peter’s Waterside is an ideal office location. It is part of a growing commercial district with neighbouring regeneration projects on the immediate horizon. This includes a new and improved railway station which starts construction next year.”
Located in the Northampton Enterprise Zone, the newly acquired site formerly housed a 19th Century Malthouse which was demolished by the previous owners in 2007. It has been vacant ever since but is being prioritised for development by WNDC as part of the wider St Peter’s Waterside scheme.
The full, long-term development has the potential to comprise up to 40,000 sqm of office space, including a 3,740 sqm Innovation Centre.