Major plans to transform Wellingborough’s town centre revealed

A new neighbourhood quarter, a revamped market square and the repurposing of the Swansgate Shopping Centre are part of the ambitious ten year plan to breathe new life into the town

By Sarah Ward

An artist impression of the market square.

A ten year plan to reverse the failing fortunes of Wellingborough Town Centre has been unveiled by the unitary authority.

In what could become the biggest reorganisation of the town since the 1970s, North Northamptonshire Council has published its regeneration masterplan for the historic market town, which political leaders are set to sign off next week.

Plans include a revamp along the lines of what is currently happening in Northampton, with a renovated market square, a repurposing of the 1970s built Swansgate Shopping Centre, a new neighbourhood quarter (on the controversial Jacksons Lane site) and a restaurant quarter in the Cambridge Street area.

There are also plans to rebuild the library with an extension, hopes to reopen historic inns on London Road and Sheep Street; turn the Hind Hotel into a boutique hotel, refurbish Beeswing House on Sheep Street into mixed retail use and demolish some buildings in Market Street close to the Swansgate.

The scheme is devised along five new geographic areas which are being called the Civic Heartbeat, the Engine Room, the Green Network and Cultural Edge, the Eastern Gateway and the New Town Centre Neighbourhood.

In the plan - which can be viewed here - almost none of the historic centre is left untouched, however there are no allocated pots of cash to do the work.

Instead the council is hoping to implement a ‘layered funding’ approach applying for large grants, government cash and trying to attract private investment.

Council leader Martin Griffiths (Reform UK) who represents the Croyland and Swanspool ward, which covers the town centre area said in a media release this week:

“The Wellingborough town centre masterplan is an exciting piece of work aimed at improving the area for residents and visitors to Wellingborough.

“It has been very well received by locals and businesses who are keen to see things progress - subject to funding being available. In the meantime, there have been a lot of ideas from residents which can be implemented much quicker.

“What we learn in Wellingborough will be used to improve our other town centres who face similar challenges as shopping habits continue to change.”

The council has been looking at the revamp of the town centre since Reform UK came into power last May. In October it commissioned Urban Foresight to undertake a strategic review of the north of the county’s four growth towns (Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Rushden) and recommend which town should be regenerated first.

Wellingborough, which behind Northampton is the second largest town in Northants, was chosen and the council commissioned urban design firm The Urbanists (which is involved in the regeneration of Bristol’s Temple area) to come up with a plan for the town centre.

A controversial element could be the plans for the Jackson’s Lane site off High Street. The authority is proposing to site a new neighbourhood quarter with housing. The plan announced earlier this year to sell off the popular car park led to protests.

Wellingborough town councillor Chris Ashton (Labour) is supportive but wants the authority to ensure the plan is feasible.

He said:

“I would support any proposal that brings life back to the town centre. But there is the issue of how they are going to fund it. We have seen external investors come into Northampton but it is whether they will be able to find something similar for Wellingborough.”

Cllr Ashton also thinks the proposals for building on Jackson’s Lane car park will remove the only late night parking in the town, which could impact on the hopes to bring more people into the town in the evening. And he thinks public transport into the town and onto the train station needs to improve, saying that currently there is not a link between the Queensway estate and the rail station.

There is no doubt the regeneration of the historic market town is needed, as its decline has hastened in speed since the opening of the nearby shopping complex at Rushden Lakes.

The documents say that since 2011 the retail element of the town’s centre has decreased from 33 per cent to 18 per cent and the vacancy rate in the town is the highest in the area at 19.4 per cent (above the national average of 13.8 per cent).

The authority carried out a six week consultation earlier this summer and found strong support for the scheme, with the five proposed development areas receiving between 92 and 73 per cent positive responses (with the neighbourhood centre receiving the lower ratings).

If the masterplan is approved next Tuesday (August 11) by the cabinet, the consultation will carry on throughout next year and the plan will be examined in 2028. It is expected to be adopted in 2029. Kettering is the next town due for a masterplan.

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