Sue Bridge speaks at our waterside conference about Northampton.

1. Claiming the Waterside
Northampton and the River Nene
Sue Bridge
Head of Planning, Northampton Borough Council

2. Outline of presentation:
• Historical context
• Key issues
• The Vision for
Northampton and the
Nene
• Strategic objectives
• Policies for the
Waterside
• Implementation
• Future key challenges

3. Northampton – the historical context
Dates back to Bronze Age
Middle Ages - important town
Northampton Castle - a Royal Residence
Hosted Parliament of England
Many churches and monasteries
University of Northampton
(dissolved 1265 as threat to Oxford)
Granted Royal Charter 1189
Great Fire in 1675
Grew rapidly with industrial development
of 18th century

4. The Waterside -
Historical Context, 18th & 19th Centuries
Nene opened to navigation from
the Wash to Northampton in 1761
Canal link to Grand Union Canal
was completed in 1815
Connected by water and rail by
1845 with loop to main line
completed in late 1870’s
Beginning of encroachment of
town into the watermeadows by
1880

5. The Waterside - Historical Context, 20th Century
The 20th Century saw significant encroachment into the watermeadows:
• Heavy industry
• Rail-related industries
• Power generation
Declared a New Town in 1968
• Large amount of growth north and south of river
• Town turned its back on the river
• Traditional industries started to decline
• 1980s/90s - free market economy

6. Waterside Campus
through the Ages
The new University of Northampton Campus
site has had a chequered history
• 1810 - rural
• 1883 - rural, but with rail line passing
through, and beginning of
• development in river margins
• 1937 - power generation/industrial/power
links/rail sidings
Changes came in ...
1979 - Demolition of power station
New Avon HQ - setting the tone

7. Historical Context
The Legacy
Town has not capitalized on
resource
Waterside inaccessible or
unattractive at numerous points
Recent attempts to change
legacy with residential/other
developments fronting river not
always successful

8. Key Issues for the Waterside
Maximise its opportunities:
• Increasing the presence
of University of
Northampton in the
Central Area
• Strengthen and diversify
the economic base to
increase quantity and
quality of job
opportunities
• Enhance the diversity of
cultural, leisure and
recreational opportunities
• Provide high-quality green
infrastructure
• Enhance natural and built
heritage

9. The Vision
By 2026 the town centre will be firmly
established as the economic and cultural
centre for Northamptonshire:
• A destination of
choice
• A distinctive retail
offer
• New employment
areas supporting
regeneration
• A lively cultural
quarter
• A new focus on the
Waterside

10. Delivery Vehicles
• The Central Area Action Plan (CAAP)
• The Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone (EZ)
Policies of CAAP and aspirations of EZ are aligned

11. CAAP
NBC prepared the Central Area Action
Plan as its development plan for the
central area of Northampton.
The Plan sets out the Vision and
Strategic objectives as well as the
detailed policies for the area.
It is a wide-ranging document so I will
concentrate on those aspects of the
CAAP which impact on the Waterside
Campus, the Waterside and the
University of Northampton.

12. Policy 25: The Waterside
Aims to achieve:
• An appropriate mix of
activities
• High quality, sustainable
transport networks
• Environmental and
recreational linkages
• Enhancement of biodiversity
• Opportunities for a wide range
of recreational activities
• Buildings and spaces that
address the water’s edge
• Access to the water’s edge
and low-impact boating
activities

14. CAAP Policy 28: Avon/Nunn Mills/Ransome Road
Develop a single new community in a comprehensive and complementary manner:
• Range of uses including residential,
neighbourhood retail, commercial
leisure, education, commercial B1
offices, but primarily envisaged as
new residential quarter
• Footpath/cycleway network and links
• High-quality public realm
• New road links
• Flood risk mitigation
• Suitable access to Delapré Lake and
Abbey
• Address the site’s location within and
on the edge of the Registered
Battlefield

15. From Policy to Delivery
• Central Area Action Plan prepared before
University of Northampton announced its
intention to relocate
• Agreed that masterplan for the new campus
would respect the framework set out in the CAAP
• Benefits of new Campus located within the EZ
and in close proximity to town centre outweighs
loss of residential units

16. From Policy to Delivery

17. Key benefits of the Waterside Campus
Current reality is that market does not see
Northampton as a major player.
University of Northampton has the
ability to be a game-changer:
• Raise economic profile
• Deliver jobs and levers in £330m
of investment
• The student £ comes to the
town centre
• Makes a reality of the Enterprise
Zone aspiration
• Improving land values in the
area
• Kick-start commercial
development

18. Key benefits of the Waterside Campus
• Exemplar of new
development addressing
and opening up the river
frontage
• Improving footway/cycle
links to town centre and
Delapré Abbey
• New leisure opportunities
• Improvements to green
infrastructure
• Increase footfall and
activity in parks, along
the river and canal and
town centre

19. Conclusions
The relocation of the University to the Waterside is the catalyst
for a new beginning for Northampton’s relationship with its
river and canal.