NN Contemporary Art, in partnership with West Northamptonshire Council, has revealed plans for a major new cultural centre at 24 Guildhall Road, in the heart of Northampton’s cultural quarter. The £4.7 million project, which is about to enter its second stage of works, will see the five-storey redundant heritage building transformed into a vibrant creative community, with a contemporary art gallery, affordable creative studios and public spaces. With a phased opening planned from late 2023 / early 2024, the 2000 sq m Georgian building will become the new home of lead tenant and founding partner, NN Contemporary Art (NNCA), who will take over the lower three floors, opening a free public gallery space that will showcase the very best of international contemporary art. With a focus on nurturing the town’s creative ecosystem, the floors will also encompass 20 affordable creative workspaces and studios, enabling hundreds of artists and creators to grow and develop their practice in the town. Designed to become a major creative hub for Northampton and the wider East Midlands region, the fully-accessible building will also incorporate multi-functional community and event spaces, including a civic reading room and arts library, a retail space and multimedia lab. Further creative and cultural tenants will be invited to lease the upper two floors. The project team includes Northamptonshire’s PHP Architects, CS2 Chartered Surveyors and artist/architect Sean Griffiths, acting as Client Advisory. Taking inspiration from its original 1920s design, the plans honour the heritage of the building, seeing many of its original features restored, including the stunning terrazzo floor. Artist Giles Round has been commissioned to design the Civic Reading Room Space. In advance of the opening, NN Contemporary Art, in partnership with West Northamptonshire Council, will this month launch Sensing Place, an ambitious programme of events and wider public realm commissions, that brings local communities together with artists, curators, academics and researchers to explore important conversations around cultural and artistic placemaking. Identified as a key element of Northampton’s regeneration, and highlighted as one of the public’s preferred priorities through a consultation carried out by Northampton Forward, the £4.7 million project is supported by the government’s Towns Fund and part of the Northampton Town Centre Masterplan. Alongside Towns Fund investment, phase one of the project has delivered £1.15 million through South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership’s Getting Building Fund. Located within the town’s Cultural Quarter, with neighbours including the Royal & Derngate Theatre and the newly-refurbished Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, the project builds on the wider vision for the area as a vibrant, innovative public space for culture and creativity. Emer Grant, CEO and Artistic Director, NN Contemporary Art, said: “We are delighted today to be announcing the next stage of our relocation & renovation project at 24 Guildhall Road. Working alongside partners we aim to bring a new kind of cultural institution to Northamptonshire. “Our approach throughout has tried to expand the terms of collaboration (and municipal process alike) as integral to the design of 21st century public realm. Phase two of this capital project will continue to develop civic spaces to an environmentally sustainable and culturally ambitious outcome with the aim to open in late 2023. “The completion of 24 Guildhall Road will bring exciting benefits to our local community and recognises the pivotal role of contemporary art in shaping extraordinary places.” Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNC, said: “We are delighted to be entering our second phase of work to deliver this ambitious project. Once open, 24 Guildhall Road will offer a unique cultural hub in the heart of the Cultural Quarter in Northampton, complementing the ongoing redevelopment of this part of town. “Working in partnership with NN Contemporary Art and SEMLEP, we are able to combine our vision to regenerate this central building and offer a space for artists and entrepreneurs across our county and beyond. We look forward to continuing to offer local jobs as we enter into the second phase of redevelopment works, supporting our local economy.” Judith Barker, SEMLEP’s Director of Programmes and Governance, said: “We are proud that the Getting Building Fund investment has been delivered successfully and has unlocked further funding for this incredibly exciting project. It will create a creative and cultural centre for Northampton and increase employment as well as support our visitor economy.”

Following practical completion of the final plot at the end of October 2022, the six units split equally across three sites at Centrix Park Corby, Castlewood and East Midlands Distribution Centre in Castle Donington – benefitting from B2 and B8 use – have become part of NFUM’s property portfolio. Five of the units were constructed on a speculative basis with no end users secured, while one unit – plot A1 in Corby occupying 162,490ft² – was pre-let to Deichmann Shoes (UK). The other five units occupy a combined floorspace of 838,586ft². Three of the units have subsequently been sold whilst two remain available on an all enquires basis. Involved from the outset, Clowes had a team of experts to assist them in the delivery of deal. IMA Architects acted as planning consultants as well as architects, helping to fine-tune the project and liaising with both Clowes Developments and NFUM throughout. Speaking on the project, Ben Hall, director at IMA Architects, said: “Our professional relationship with Clowes is longstanding and we have successfully delivered over 60 projects since 2009, with more confirmed in 2023. On this particular project, we were the only architects on site and as the demand for commercial rental units grow, so does the development potential – so we look forward to being part of future schemes. We look forward to working with Clowes on upcoming projects, and we are proud to have them as a returning client.” Law firm, Geldards, acted on behalf of Clowes Developments. Heather Dixon added: “We are delighted to have been able to support our long-standing client Clowes on its largest and most important transaction to date. Finding the right funding partner and negotiating six development funding agreements and the associated construction contracts in the current market, with the major challenge of Covid, Brexit and high demand for construction materials, was complex and demanding. “It was particularly pleasing to be part of a delivery team that consisted of advisers solely from the East Midlands, it showed the strength in depth and expertise in the region. The partnership and understanding between Clowes’ internal team and the professional team was key to delivering this landmark transaction.” Clowes Developments instructed construction contractor Winvic to build all six facilities with employers’ agent, Postins Project Services ensuring both client and developer are aligned throughout the term of the project. RammSanderson, ecology experts, advised Clowes at each site with additional guidance required at Centrix Business Park where a 4-acre reserve was created to protect the rare Great Crested Newt, a natural habitant at the former steel works site. Jon Brice, property fund manager at NFU Mutual, said: “Following completion of the last unit within this project, I would like to thank the whole team involved in delivering these fantastic buildings. We are delighted with the quality of industrial units that have been developed by Clowes and I am sure these buildings will continue to be successful going forward.” James Richards, director at Clowes Developments, said: “We are pleased to have completed this project with NFUM and to have had the expertise of our professional team on board from the outset. Their ability to work well with key parties across all sites helped to ensure that the work was completed within the agreed timescales which is essential for us. We are confident that the units will all soon find suitable occupiers and be an asset to the local East Midlands economy for years to come.” Since completing the £100m deal with NFUM, Clowes Developments and their team of expert advisors have been working on another landmark deal with international real estate investment group, Hines, to develop 1.15m sq ft of logistic space across the East Midlands.

McLaren Construction (Midlands and North) Ltd has started works on Phase 1A of Horizon 29 in Bolsover, Derbyshire. Horizon 29 is a new distribution development located one mile from junction 29a of the M1. When complete, it will have a total of eight warehouses, delivered over three phases. On behalf of Equation Properties and Bentall Green Oak, McLaren Construction (Midlands & North) is progressing with the construction of two, single storey distribution warehouses as part of Phase 1A. Unit 1 comprises 70,000 sq ft of warehouse space and 3,500 sq ft of office space, along with six loading docks. Unit 2 features 127,000 sq ft of warehouse space and 6,400 sq ft of office space, with 12 loading docks. All units at Horizon 29 will be constructed to a BREEAM Rating of ‘Excellent’ with an EPC ‘A’ Rating and Phase 1A is expected to complete in April 2023. The contractor has also been appointed on Phase 1B, which will consist of a further two units, with an expected completion in Summer 2023. Sustainable features of Horizon 29 include solar PVs, air source heat pumps, enhanced cladding, responsibly sourced sustainable materials, LED lighting and electric vehicle charging points. McLaren Construction (Midlands & North) is undertaking all external works including general hardstanding, car-parking, electric vehicle charging points, landscaping, mains services and drainage. Gary Cramp, Managing Director of McLaren Construction (Midlands and North), said: “Horizon 29 will be a premier distribution centre in a prime location in the Midlands, making it the ideal address for tenants wanting direct and easy access to the M1 north and south. “We are pleased to be appointed by Equation Properties and to be working with them on the first phase of this impressive scheme.” Equation Properties is a London-based property development company for the distribution and industrial sector. Dick Smallman, construction director at Equation Properties, said: “We are delighted to have appointed McLaren Construction for the first phase of development at Horizon 29. Construction is now underway for the scheme.”

Councillors have refused plans for the development of 12 homes in Blaby after the applicant failed to satisfy concerns about access for refuse and recycling collections. An application for the demolition of the existing dwelling and construction of 12 houses at the rear of 43 New Street in Blaby was considered by councillors on Blaby District Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday 24 November. The proposal followed the refusal of an earlier application in 2021 for seven homes, which went to appeal with the Planning Inspectorate upholding the Council’s decision. One of the Council’s reasons for the original refusal was due to the layout and design of the development, which would not allow refuse and recycling lorries access to the site to collect bins. The proposals were also considered to lack any facilities to present waste bins at the boundary to the site. This was considered “poor design” by the Council, which goes against the Blaby District Core Strategy (2013) and the Blaby District Local Plan (Delivery) Development Plan Document (2019). It also conflicts with the aims and aspirations of the government’s National Planning Policy Framework. Councillors considered the new plans, for 12 homes instead of seven, on a larger plot, had still not resolved the lack of access for refuse and recycling vehicles. The intensification of the site, with the increase in houses, was also considered to be a problem, exacerbating issues in relation to distances to the adopted highway and the associated impacts on the street scene, residential amenities and restriction of pedestrian and vehicular movements. Councillor Louise Richardson, chair of the Planning Committee, said: “When refusing the initial application, a decision which was upheld by the Planning Inspectorate, we made it clear the development did not meet the standards required for us as a Council to carry out our statutory duties to empty residents’ bins. “Our planning policies and Local Plan are clear that any new development needs to be accessible. If developers fail to take these important factors into account, we can and will refuse them, as in this case once again. This result is the best for the residents of Blaby and highlights our robust planning policies which protect the whole district from poorly designed development.”

Businesses are spreading their wings with the lease of premises on a south Leicestershire industrial estate. East Midlands commercial property specialist Andrew + Ashwell and joint agent Innes England, have negotiated the lease of new-build warehouses on The Whittle Estate at Whetstone. Located five miles south of Leicester city centre and with a prominent frontage on Cambridge Road, The Whittle Estate is a local industrial business hub, named after Sir Frank Whittle, aviator and inventor of the jet engine. The site is already a base for major occupiers, including Cavendish Nuclear, The Co-op and National Grid. Units on phase two of the development have been designed to give businesses a broad remit to relocate and expand within this trading area. The new buildings are part of a terrace of four, including two adjacent units totalling 20,350 sq ft. These have recently been taken by former Wigston-based point of sale unit manufacturer Aark Display Ltd. A third is under offer, with considerable interest in the remaining unit, comprising 13,000 sq ft. Kelvin Wilson, associate director for A+A, said interest in the buildings had been buoyant amid a resilient industrial property market. “We still suffer from an under supply of new purpose-built premises and whenever new units emerge there is always an upsurge of interest. The Whittle Estate is a sought-after location and we are confident it will continue to support the growth of local businesses, as well as those from further afield.”