Northampton
Philip Kassanis as associate director at Mountford Pigott
2006-7
Sixfields, the main entry point to Northampton from the west, is central to a number of major new regional housing initiatives including Upton Urban Extension. It has a striking topography with exceptional views over important tracts of wetland amenity. Sixfields stadium is home to Northampton Town FC and other sporting facilities, there is also a strongly performing leisure district, as well as food and non-food retailing with B1 use around its northern fringe.
It is the natural focal point for a District Centre, recognised by emerging planning policy. Mountford Pigott’s clients, Capital & Provincial have substantial existing landholdings and have successfully enlisted the cooperation of the other landowners, principally English Partnerships to promote a holistic transformation of the area, totalling 27 Ha.
Masterplanning included setting the vision; empowering negotiations; testing a number of approaches for intensification, movement and use patterns; and assisting the local authority to realise their strategic aims.
The masterplans show how the existing sporting and leisure facilities can be integrated with new sporting facilities, new and revitalised retailing with restaurant and bar uses, substantial numbers of new homes, more commercial opportunities, hotel accommodation and public and community facilities. They demonstrate transport improvements across all modes.
The proposals deliver these benefits at the same time as overcoming the current disadvantages of poor urban quality, sprawling car parks, car domination, and underused land.
