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Electricity issue delays town regeneration project

Kris Holland
BBC News, Northamptonshire
West Northamptonshire Council An artist's impression of a waterside development showing a river with a grass bank in the foreground and multistorey modern buildings in the background. People are shown walking in public areas, including an adult, child and dog in the foreground. There is a pedestrian bridge over the river.West Northamptonshire Council
Four Waterside is due to provide housing and office space

The start of work on a major regeneration project near a town centre has been delayed by "power capacity issues", a council says.

Work was due to begin on Four Waterside in Northampton this summer, but has been pushed back to the winter.

Reform UK-controlled West Northamptonshire Council said that despite preparations for the project "progressing well", the "local electricity grid is currently under significant constraint".

The Four Waterside and Marefair project - being delivered in partnership with Cityheart - will include waterside homes, a hotel and space for businesses which the council said would "enhance the wider transformation of Northampton town centre".

In a statement, the authority said: "We're in ongoing discussions with National Grid to explore potential solutions.

"Despite this wider issue, we continue to work with our development partner Cityheart to bring forward this important regeneration project."

West Northamptonshire Council An artist's impression of five-storey light brown buildings with tall narrow windows alongside roads on which people are walking and cycling. There are trees spaced along the footpath.West Northamptonshire Council
Another artist's view of the site showing how some of the buildings will look

A National Grid electricity distribution spokesperson said: "The local electricity network in the town needs reinforcement to accommodate significant new and future demand.

"While we progress plans to boost capacity to the town with a £15m investment, we will continue to work closely with West Northamptonshire Council to explore short-term solutions to current capacity issues as and when they arise.

"We care passionately about connecting projects to the grid as quickly as possible and are investing £7.5bn into our distribution network between 2023 and 2028."

Google An orange and white banner, with the words "Four Waterside and Marefair", is seen alongside a town centre road. There are trees behind the banner. To the right is a light brown and grey modern building with five storeys - the University of Northampton Innovation Centre.Google
The site of the development has been vacant for at least a decade

Plans for the 60,000 sq ft (5,575 sq m) site, near the River Nene and St Peter's Way and behind the University of Northampton Innovation Centre, were first submitted in January 2016.

Four Waterside was due to open in 2017, but discussions between the council and the contractor Kier stalled and the council terminated the agreement in April 2019.

In March, a deal worth at least £130m was announced for Cityheart to redevelop the brownfield site.

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