I am speaking tonight
on behalf of NTFC Supporters Limited and I want to give voice to demonstrations by
Northampton Supporters held over the last few weeks over obvious concerns held at
the time being taken over the Sixfields Area Action Plan, which plays a key part
not only to growth in the town but also to Northampton Town Football
Club’s proposed re-developments. Time is the most important factor behind our
concerns.
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| Protest Outside Guildhall Monday December 5. |
The owners of Northampton
Town Football Club have already put millions of pounds into the Football Club and they
need to see that the council are behind their local professional football team
or we fear they may walk away, and in doing so risk the future of NTFC, which
will be a real loss to not just to supporters but also to the economy of
Northampton.
Planning at individual development level
should not necessarily take account of such concerns, we accept that, but at
Strategic level, as has been seen up and down the country the community and
economic benefits attached to having the prize of League Football in a Town or
City are legitimate concerns and aspirations for Councilors to consider in
setting their agenda. However for reasons I will state below, even without
taking into account the position of NTFC, a district Centre on the Lower
Plateau is still the best option for Northampton
and its new inhabitants at Upton.
Coming on to the
Sixfields Area Action plan; the reports for the District Centre being placed on
the Weedon Road
were heavily criticised as we understand it, by the May Executive
Committee meeting, due to the following reasons:
1). the location being all
wrong.
2). Underpasses that would
not work.
3). because it is on a
dual carriageway
4). It did not take
into account the new link road and the health facility being built on the lower
plateau at Sixfields.
5). It was in conflict
with the agreed “Framework Agreement” between NBC and English Partnerships.
6). It was in conflict
with the “Northampton Brownfield Initiative” and plans and aspirations of
Northampton Town Football Club.
7). the sustainability
report did not take into account the above factors and compared them to a
non-viable project on Walter Tull Way.
This meant that the
council leaders asked the officers to sort the problems around the Sixfields
Area Action Plan as quickly as possible. £1000’s of tax payer’s money has already
been spent getting in outside
consultants to look at the Sixfields Area Action Plan, NTFC’s plans and English
Partnerships plans. The officers seem to be suggesting from the report for
tonight’s meeting that they are recommending that even more time and more money be spent to look at this further.
Meanwhile we can look at other councils who have embraced similar opportunities. Councils like
Milton Keynes and Swansea
to name but two, who have recently had the vision and courage to use enabling
funds to build impressive stadiums for their professional league football
teams. It is also somewhat ironic that in MK the main funding company has been
IKEA that Northamptonshire albeit NBC in agreement with South Northamptonshire Council rejected;
you now look at MK and see the impressive facilities being built.
The community of new
houses
that is being built at Upton
is also, as
we speak, having a new school built and a new medical centre. The determination
of planning permissions for the new Health Centre and the new link road,
and the new houses and the new school have already passed through the Councils
committees without controversy, and without any concerns on timing or impact on
other plans, so surely then, it is also necessary and logical that they
should have convenience stores and a District Centre when they move in, and not 5
years down the line. The additional people moving into Upton will also of course use the Town Centre
which as a
consequence will also benefit.
The only
logical place for a District Centre would seem to be on the new link road close
to the new District Health Centre and educational
and community facilities already at the Sixfields Stadium. It is the
most convenient of the four proposed sites for the new Upton housing that is being built. It would
also bring the community closer to the Football Club and the Football Club
closer to the community.
Of course we
understand that the spotlight is on the council and it needs to be professional
and proper in it’s conduct and we understand it is about making the right
decision for the community of Northampton and that is why we have no problems
in asking for the Sixfields Area Action Plan, be considered, alongside the Town Centre Plans,
and Core Plans, but not to be put behind it.
Any possible developer
could also be requested to maintain a High Street presence in the Town Centre if they
have one, thus enhancing not affecting its future prosperity. But District
Centres are about local shopping for food, for medicine, for newspapers,
perhaps some banking etc they are not in conflict with Town Centres in any way
and they should not be presented as being such. A recent phone survey in
Friday’s Chronicle and Echo asked whether a District Centre at Sixfields would
affect the Town Centre. A massive 80% said that they felt that a District
Centre would not affect the Town Centre.
What we cannot have is
further indecision, we were here 7 months ago, we cannot have another deferred
decision, we need clear timescales. Embrace the opportunity we have in front of us for all our benefits
and have the courage to improve the Town and give the Upton Community
the District Centre it needs, and in doing so improved community
facilities at Sixfields for Northampton Town Football Club and the wider
community.
