Recognising the importance of a three hectare site located on the edge of the shopping core as a catalyst for town-wide regeneration, Matrix Partnership was commissioned by Wellingborough Council to produce a Development Planning Brief and SPD.

The area surrounding the development site comprises a mixture of commercial, residential and community users, while the site itself currently functions primarily as a car park. With existing buildings lining each of the site’s edges, any future development must both knit with the existing fabric and create a strong and visible identity.

Following the culmination of extensive feasibility investigations and public consultation, the brief establishes the basis for a mixed use scheme including 240 homes, a new further education college campus and an hotel. By helping to facilitate expansion of the town centre, the site contributes to Wellingborough’s strategic intention to re-establish itself within the regional hierarchy and compete more effectively with Corby and Kettering within the South Milton Keynes Growth Area. The adopted Development Brief provides the basis for developer procurement and land acquisition, with the practice continuing to be involved with the brief’s implementation including acting as expert witness and public inquiry.