NORTHANTS CULTURE* a Cultural Mapping Document for West Northamptonshire
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A CULTURAL MAPPING DOCUMENT JUNE 2009 NORTHANTS CULTURE* A Cultural Mapping Document for West Northamptonshire TOM FLEMING / CREATIVE CONSULTANCY 0. CONTENTS NORTHANTS CULTURE* A Cultural Mapping Document for West Northamptonshire 1. Introduction 3 1.1 The Focus of This Report 4 1.2 The Methodology 5 2. Cultural Investment Plan for West Northamptonshire: An Overview 6 2.1 Cultural Infrastructure Typologies 6 2.2 The Cultural organisations and Activities 9 2.3 District Profile Overviews 9 2.3.1 Daventry District 9 2.3.2 Northampton 17 2.3.5 South Northamptonshire 25 2.4 Cultural Infrastructure beyond the West Northamptonshire Boundary 32 2.5 Summary of the Cultural Infrastructure Offer in West Northamptonshire 34 2.5.1 Heritage 34 2.5.2 Arts Venues 38 2.5.3 Other Creative Spaces 41 2.5.4 Community Facilities 43 2.5.5 Community Assets 46 49 2.5.7 Festivals and Events / CREATIVE CONSULTANCY / CREATIVE TOM FLEMING 2 1. INTRODUCTION NORTHANTS CULTURE* A Cultural Mapping Document for West Northamptonshire 1. IntroDuction This Report, written by Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy and supported by Noema Research and Planning, sets out a Cultural Investment Plan for West Northamptonshire. It is one of three documents, sitting alongside: Document 2 - A Cultural Action Plan for West Northamptonshire: providing the * practical short-to-medium term actions to deliver this Investment Plan. Document 3 - A Cultural Mapping Report for West Northamptonshire: providing * an overview of the existing role of culture in the sub-region, the strategic context for culture, and a district-by-district overview of cultural provision. This project was commissioned by a partnership including Arts Council England East Midlands, Northamptonshire County Council, English Heritage, East Midlands Museums Libraries and Archives, West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC), Northampton Enterprise Ltd., Northampton Borough Council, the District Councils of South Northamptonshire and Daventry and the University of Northampton. These partners are represented on the West Northamptonshire Cultural Steering Group. Based on an active and open approach where over 100 people have been consulted1, the reports: Build on West Northamptonshire’s existing strengths, such as its distinctive * heritage, built environment, diverse communities and location; Engage positively with the subregion’s challenges, such as social and mobility inequality; the * physical decline of innerurban areas; the relatively untapped resources of local talent, pride and identity; and the underdeveloped capacity and reach of cultural organisations and institutions; Give aspiration, purpose and structure to the future, positioning culture and creativity * as major existing assets, powerful drivers of change, and essential ingredients at the heart of a thriving, distinctive West Northamptonshire in 15 years time. The reports are prepared to position culture at the heart of the planning and development agenda in West Northamptonshire, an area in the heart of England undergoing significant change and set to undergo further change over the coming years. The draft East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy, published in September 2006, makes provision for 62,125 dwellings in West Northamptonshire between 2001 and 2026 (18,460 of these were completed by the end of 2007, leaving a target of 43,665; 38,362 of these dwellings are within the West Northamptonshire areas of Northampton, Daventry and Towcester2). West Northamptonshire forms a part of the Milton Keynes South Midlands (MKSM) Growth Area3, one of four areas identified by Government as best positioned to absorb required growth in housing and provide a wider sustainable offer that includes new jobs, access to transport links, and lower environmental impact. This means that the target is not just houses, but jobs and an overall outcome of sustainable, cohesive communities. A key policy of the Milton Keynes South Midlands (MKSM) Sub-Regional Strategy (2005) (which outlines the strategy for Northamptonshire, as part of MKSM growth area) is to provide for a commensurate level of economic growth alongside the housing development. The MKSM Sub-Regional Strategy includes a figure of 37,5004 additional jobs in West Northamptonshire from 2001 to 2021. / CREATIVE CONSULTANCY / CREATIVE 1. This includes in-depth interviews, desk research, 3 high profile and very engaged workshops and a process of ongoing consultation with the project steering group. 2. WNDC Consultation Developing Planning Obligations Strategy, May 2008. TOM FLEMING 3. Definition of growth area: “The four growth areas announced by the Government in the Sustainable Communities Plan 2003 ......were identified because of their potential to take on further growth more sustainably, with less environmental impact, and to exploit major transport and economic investment.” (Yvette Cooper, 16 June 2006). 3 4. This figure is a reference value to be used for monitoring and review and is not a target. 1. INTRODUCTION NORTHANTS CULTURE* A Cultural Mapping Document for West Northamptonshire The deliverables for the partners driving growth are therefore not solely to develop units – i.e. numbers of houses and jobs – but to make places. Indeed, central to planning requirements (expressed through policy documents such as PPS1 Sustainable Communities5 and through series of Planning Policy Guidelines (PPGs) and Planning Policy Statements (PPSs)), is a requirement that a more inclusive approach is undertaken in Growth areas and elsewhere. Therefore, planning and development need to encompass a broad set of parameters including health, education and culture. The role of culture6 as a connector of communities, a provider of confidence and purpose and as an economic driver, must be central to West Northamptonshire’s growth and to the delivery of specific local agendas, such as Northampton’s renaissance and the connection of rural areas to their growing urban centres. This Investment Plan, alongside the Cultural Action Plan and Cultural Mapping Report, sets out this agenda for partners. 1.1 The Focus of this REPort This report offers a means to better understand the dynamics and profile of the current cultural and creative dividend in West Northamptonshire, and provides context and intelligence that informs the wider work. It is not intended as a complete and comprehensive overview of all sector activity and the total range of cultural impacts. Indeed, much of this analysis sits within the Cultural Investment Plan for West Northamptonshire. Rather, this report highlights the important role that culture plays in the sub region and begins to identify some of the key characteristics of the cultural offer. It covers the three local authority districts within West Northamptonshire – the Borough of Northampton and the districts of Daventry and South Northamptonshire. It also briefly considers the cultural assets beyond these three district boundaries that are accessed by West Northamptonshire’s current residents and will also have a role to play as the population of the sub region grows in the coming years with the construction of over 62,0007 new dwellings. There is a diverse range of physical cultural infrastructure and cultural activity taking place in West Northamptonshire. To make an assessment of the current cultural provision and to provide a baseline to explore the potential areas for investment, the cultural infrastructure has been grouped into seven ‘typologies’. / CREATIVE CONSULTANCY / CREATIVE BANKSY LONDON 5. PPS1 ODPM Consultation Paper on Planning Policy Statement 1: Creating Sustainable Communities (2003). TOM FLEMING 6. The reports do not focus substantially on sport. This is because Sport England is carrying out a parallel study on sport infrastructure in West Northamptonshire. However, the links between sport and cultural infrastructure are highlighted – with sport and culture recognised for their complementary role as part of an overall leisure offer. 4 7. West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy, Issues and Options Paper, September 2007. 1. INTRODUCTION NORTHANTS CULTURE* A Cultural Mapping Document for West Northamptonshire These are based on key areas of physical infrastructure but incorporate the activity that takes place within the physical spaces. The typologies are: * Heritage: historic houses and gardens, heritage sites and museums. * Arts venues: galleries, theatres, live music venues and cinemas. * Other creative space: creative workspace and commercial exhibition spaces. * Community facilities: libraries, schools and leisure centres. Community assets: other community spaces used for cultural * activity, village halls, community centres, pubs and cafes. Parks and open spaces: urban, sub urban and rural open spaces, both designated * parks and public open spaces such as town squares and waterways. * Festivals and events: festivals, events, fairs. Within these typologies the strengths, weaknesses, partnerships and strategic connections are explored. 1.2 The MethoDoloGY The cultural infrastructure mapping was undertaken using a qualitative approach, combining desk- based research and interviews: Literature review: national, regional and local strategic and policy documents * and cultural and creative industries research reports and documents were reviewed to provide context for the mapping and identify key cultural assets and organisations and their role as cultural providers and drivers. Snowballing contacts: over 60 cultural representatives were contacted and asked to * provide their lists