West Northamptonshire Development Corporation

The West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) was an urban Development Corporation to secure the regeneration of the Urban Development Areas of Daventry, Towcester and Northampton in Northamptonshire, England.

West Northamptonshire Development Corporation
Formation15 December 2004
Dissolved31 March 2014
HeadquartersNorthampton
Location
Official language
English
Chairman

Chief Executive
John Markham OBE

Peter Mawson
Websitehttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-west-northamptonshire-development-corporation

It was established in December 2004[1] under the provisions of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 by Jeff Rooker, signed by the authority of the First Secretary of State.

The corporation acted as a local planning authority[2] before being dissolved on 31 March 2014.[3]

Executive Team

The July 2010 Executive Team was: [4]

  • Peter Mawson, Chief Executive
  • Roger Mendonca, Deputy Chief Executive
  • Chris Garden, Director of Regeneration and Development
  • Adrian Arnold, Director of Planning Services
  • Bill Allen, Director of Implementation and Delivery

Projects

As of July 2010 had invested more than £70 million in regeneration schemes across the three sites. The threshold for residential planning applications determined by WNDC was raised from 50 to 200 units in 2011.

Northampton
  • The redevelopment of Castle Railway Station[5]
  • The regeneration of Northampton's waterside
  • £1.4 million to support arts facilities in the town centre and the Royal and Derngate theatre
  • £7.4 million to flood defences
  • £10.8 million to resurrect derelict Brownfield land for development
  • £6 million to create safer, attractive, more pedestrian friendly streets from the railway through to All Saints Square
  • £1.8 million for a new marina in Becket's Park as part of wider waterside development[6]
  • Investment in a series of three new roads in the south west of the town
  • Investment in the redevelopment of the market square[7]

Daventry

£9 million was spent to initiate:

  • A doubling of the town's retail and commercial floor space
  • The creation of 2,000 new jobs
  • £60 million of private investment
  • Construction of the landmark iCon centre for sustainable construction
  • Provision of a new and improved town centre library[8]

Towcester

Over £6 million was invested in Towcester Town Centre to support:

  • A quality public space in the centre of the town
  • New community, leisure and cultural facilities
  • The renovation of Bury Mount and the Water Meadows
  • New jobs for local people[9]

iCon

The iCon building in Daventry was under construction as of 2010, and became a landmark building for the town. This national centre of excellence for sustainable construction and green technologies, provides accommodation, support and advice for 55 businesses, has a 300 seat conference hall, a public piazza and a café/restaurant.

The building has also won a Green Apple Award for the built Environment and Architectural Heritage. The Green Apple Awards, presented by The Green Organisation, are part of an annual international campaign to recognise, reward and promote environmental practice around the world[10]

This £9 million project was funded by WNDC, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and East Midlands Development Agency.[11]

References
  1. "The West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 2004". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  2. "The West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 2004". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  3. "The West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (Dissolution) Order 2014". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  4. "About us". West Northamptonshire Development Corporation. Archived from the original on 2014-02-09.
  5. "Northampton railway station revamp begins". BBC News. 19 August 2013.
  6. "Becket's Park £2.5m marina opens in Northampton". BBC News. 12 March 2012.
  7. Northampton: Quick Facts at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
  8. Daventry; Quick Facts at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
  9. Towcester: Quick Facts at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
  10. Every Green Building deserves at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
  11. iCon Innovation Centre at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
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