The 2026 masterplan names 11 Northampton areas for new homes, riverside uses and better walking routes. Cabinet endorsed it on 10 November, alongside Daventry's.
Northampton’s new town centre masterplan names 11 areas for change, from St James End and the station to Cattlemarket and Towcester Road. West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet will be asked to adopt it on Tuesday 10 November. A separate masterplan for Daventry town centre goes to the same meeting.
Updated 11 November: Cabinet endorsed both masterplans on 10 November, according to the decision notice. The council says it will now progress design plans and look for funding, and that masterplans for Towcester and Brackley will follow. The decision can be called in until 17 November.
Neither plan commits the council to building anything yet. The Northampton report says the proposals depend on both public grants and private investment. It says that “equates to billions of pounds” to fulfil the vision.
The 11 Northampton areas
The masterplan sets out these opportunity areas:
| Area | What the plan proposes |
|---|---|
| St James End | A green corridor from the station to Sixfields and Franklin’s Gardens, with better crossings |
| Station Gateway | A new station square, better bus facilities and the Postern Gate given a proper setting |
| All Saints Quarter | Strengthening the civic and historic heart of the town |
| The Ridings and Albert Place | A renewed mixed-use area and an all-day destination |
| Boot and Shoe Quarter | A better Abington Square, more greenery and reuse of old factory buildings |
| St Edmunds | A new neighbourhood of homes, green space and community facilities, low-car or car-free |
| Greyfriars and Horsemarket | Softer road layouts, more crossings and a greener Horsemarket |
| Commercial Street and Freeschool Street | A mixed neighbourhood of homes, education and workplaces with links to the University |
| Cattlemarket | Large-scale mixed development with new homes and workspace |
| Nene Riverside | Riverside walks, lighting, cafés, leisure and pop-up uses |
| Towcester Road | A new waterside neighbourhood using the disused railway line |
The report says the plan aims to break “through the constraints of the ring road” to link nearby neighbourhoods with the centre. It also wants to make far more of the River Nene, the canal and the old railway line.
What comes first
The report promises “quick wins” over the next five years. They include:
- new uses along the riverside
- low-cost improvements to streets and public spaces
- a heritage trail
- bringing empty shops back into use, and more events
- better walking and cycling routes
Each opportunity area would then go through detailed design, costing and viability work before it comes back for approval. The council says that work will be paid for from existing regeneration budgets.
The plan replaces the 2019 masterplan, which the report says helped secure over £500m of investment. Projects from that plan include the rebuilt Market Square, the Abington Street paving, demolition of the former M&S and BHS stores, and Four Waterside. Greyfriars, where the council and the English Cities Fund plan over 1,200 homes, stays in the pipeline, with enabling works expected in 2027. We have set out what the Greyfriars applications contain.
There were 1,944 survey responses across two rounds of consultation in 2025, the report says. More consultation is promised each year as individual proposals are worked up.
Daventry: housing dropped, a play area added
Daventry’s masterplan changed after people objected to earlier drafts. Housing-led proposals at Eastern Way and Ashby Road have been removed, the Daventry report says. They have been replaced by green space, walking and cycling routes and leisure.
The plan’s opportunity areas include:
- Market Place and High Street
- Mulberry Square and Sheaf Street
- New Street Recreation Ground, proposed for a major new destination play area
- an Eastern Way green corridor
- a mixed-use gateway at Ashby Road
- shopping improvements around Foundry Place
The report says 80% of people who responded wanted a stronger shopping offer and 78% wanted more greening and planting. Respondents also said the town lacked things for young people and families.
Cllr Kamala Guliyeva, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure, said: “While the plans don’t commit us to specific projects at this stage, they provide a clear roadmap for future opportunities and will help us attract investment.” The council says masterplans for Towcester and Brackley will follow.
What it means for you
Adopting the plans changes nothing on the ground yet. In Northampton, the masterplan would become a material consideration when planning applications in these areas are decided. That means it will shape what developers can build on sites such as Cattlemarket and Towcester Road.
Both masterplans can be read in full with the papers for the 10 November Cabinet meeting, which starts at 6pm. You can follow new applications on our Northampton planning news page.
Have your say