Surveys start in Northampton’s Market Square

Surveys are starting this week as part of preparations for the redevelopment of Northampton’s Market Square.

In April, the Government confirmed that Northampton Forward’s bid to the Future High Streets Fund had been successful and that the town would receive £8.4 million.

A great deal of planning has been done since then to set out the programme for the project, to ensure work can start late next year.

The team of project leads are in the process of being appointed, including architects, engineers, and quantity surveyors. MK Surveys starts work today.

The company’s task is to complete a range of survey tasks including ground-penetrating radar, CCTV investigation of drainage, and mapping of the site.

Cllr Lizzy Bowen, Northampton Forward Board Member and West Northamptonshire Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth, said:

“These surveys will be vital for our understanding of what’s possible in Market Square.

“It will be fascinating to see what the surveys turn up as we currently don’t have a clear understanding of what is under there.

“Gillespies, our lead designers on the project, will use the information provided to begin working up detailed designs based on the results of the consultation in late 2019 and early 2020.

“This is the start of a design process which will involve further consultation with the people who use the market, those who work there and anyone who has an interest in its future.”

Every inch of the market square will need to be surveyed, so some of the work is being undertaken at night to avoid disruption to traders and other planned activities.

Survey work starts today (Monday 26 July) and is scheduled to end on Wednesday 4 August.

To read the full press release, please visit HERE