Developing the 'Heritage Gateway' Offer for Central Northampton FINAL
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Developing the ‘heritage gateway’ offer for central Northampton FINAL Developing the ‘heritage gateway’ offer for central Northampton Project Brief 1. Scope of the feasibility and options appraisal There is a shared aspiration to ensure that the current development and regeneration of Northampton’s Town Centre is fully informed by and reflects the town’s unique heritage offer. Specifically, there are aspirations around the development of a ‘heritage gateway’ into the town. The purpose of this feasibility and options appraisal is to explore the potential around the site of the former Northampton Castle and also taking advantage of existing heritage assets in this area as a focus for celebration of the Borough’s past, and specifically how an offer can be developed for an area known as ‘Castle Hill’ taking into account its heritage significance and setting, as part of the wider ‘heritage gateway’. This feasibility and options appraisal will therefore take into account the elements of the wider ‘heritage gateway’ which are outlined in Section 3. 2. Partners and stakeholders The partners commissioning this feasibility and options appraisal are Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council, West Northants Development Corporation and the University of Northampton. The partners will work with key stakeholders including Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership, the Friends of Northampton Castle, the Churches Conservation Trust and other local community groups that include the Castle Partnership and Spring Boroughs Residents Association. 3. Context and aspirations Northampton is proud of its history and heritage; this should be enhanced through regeneration projects, better revealing the rich heritage offer. The various regeneration and town centre development projects should be viewed as a whole and, where appropriate, be informed by the heritage offer and the local context that these provide. In particular, the town should celebrate the important history surrounding the former castle and some (physical and or interpretive) works should be undertaken to encourage people to be aware of the past and the importance of Northampton in Mediaeval history. Specifically, that a ‘heritage gateway’ zone will be created so that those using the town’s railway station as their route into the town centre, and the wider area, should be encouraged to appreciate the importance of the heritage of Developing the ‘heritage gateway’ offer for central Northampton FINAL that part of the town which includes St Peters Church, a contemporary of the Castle and one of the finest Norman churches in England. 4. The Heritage Gateway defined The ‘Heritage Gateway’ is defined as the entrance into the town from the west including the railway station, the Postern Gate, the Castle Hill area1, St Peter’s Church, Black Lion Inn and along Marefair (see maps in the attached appendix and the visual images in this appendix that illustrate how similar castle sites specifically have been developed and interpreted elsewhere). 5. The key elements of the ‘Heritage Gateway’ Northampton Borough Council, together with West Northamptonshire Development Corporation and Northamptonshire County Council, has ambitious plans for the development and regeneration of Northampton. These include the redevelopment of various sites in the centre of the town. In this wider context there are two potential ‘zones’ where heritage and culture can play a leading role – we have defined these ‘zones’ as the ‘heritage gateway’ zone and the ‘cultural quarter’ – see maps in the attached appendix. This feasibility and options appraisal brief focuses on the ‘heritage gateway’. The key elements of the ‘heritage gateway’ are: The Northampton Castle Railway Station re-development is key to any ‘heritage gateway’ as a point from which people access the town and because it is often the first point of contact that many people have with the town. Including heritage and cultural elements in the planned development will provide a stronger offer that will support economic growth. The partners involved in delivering this re-development will work with existing stakeholders to articulate the heritage and cultural options for delivery by the developer that will include reference to Northampton Castle and its associated history and heritage. At time of writing, options for the use of various design elements that reflect the heritage have already been presented to the project leads. As well as specific works at the station and its immediate concourse, the key will then be to link the railway station development to the rest of the ‘heritage gateway’ offer and there is the scope to do some work to make this more evident, potentially linking sightlines or heritage interpretation from and to the Castle Hill area. Some visual images of similar developments elsewhere can be seen in the attached appendix. St Peter’s Church and the Black Lion Inn. The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) has articulated plans to develop a heritage centre for this area of the town. This would celebrate the castle and specifically St Peter’s Church. The proposal is that when people arrive in the town they have a place to visit 1N.B. The Castle Hill area comprises the former site of Castle Mound, The Great Hall and Queens Apartments, Castle Hill Church, Castle House, Chalk Lane and adjacent car parks. 2 Developing the ‘heritage gateway’ offer for central Northampton FINAL to find out more about the heritage to which they have been introduced in the station, both in the immediate and the wider area. This will also support the Churches Conservation Trust to develop their ideas and plans for St Peter’s Church and the Black Lion Inn. In this project the partners have a supporting/facilitation role. Lower Marefair and the Castle Hill area – The Friends of Northampton Castle have articulated plans for a heritage ‘plaza’ to include a re-sited Postern Gate, adjacent heritage garden, and presentation of the remains of the castle walls within the Castle Hill area. In addition, the Friends of Northampton Castle also propose the development of a heritage resource centre that presents the town’s medieval heritage. These proposals, in particular the Castle Hill area and identified components that include the former site of Castle Mound, The Great Hall and Queens Apartments, Castle Hill Church, Castle House, Chalk Lane and adjacent car parks, are a key element of this feasibility and options appraisal. Although outside the ‘heritage gateway’ as envisaged, St Peter’s waterside and the Innovation Centre, which is to be developed opposite the railway station, offers further opportunities for the partners to see what heritage and cultural opportunities exist here, mindful of what is developed at the railway station. In terms of developing a ‘heritage gateway’ offer, links with the station, and the opportunity of highlighting the heritage offer and the Castle through signage or public realm works, will be made within the project around the development of the Bus Interchange including The Drapery and Bridge Street. The partners will work together to support and influence the ideas being taken forward as this is also another key point of access to the town and the design and ideas need to be complementary with those of the ‘heritage gateway’. Appropriate links will also be made between what is developed as part of the ‘heritage gateway’ and the plans for the ‘Cultural Quarter’. 6. Historical background Northampton Castle, as a stone fortification, was built in the 11th century. In the 12th and 13th centuries it became one of the most important castles in England and was a centre of royal administration and of royal parliaments for over 250 years (1131- 1380). There are a number of important historical events associated with its past. The site of the Castle was largely levelled from 1879 onwards for the construction of the railway station and the area has been extensively developed subsequently. However, recent excavation has shown that there is still surviving evidence below the ground in the area of the railway station. There is also some surviving evidence for the Castle in the townscape adjacent to the railway station such as the Postern Gate and walls and specifically the area referred to as Castle Hill which includes the former site of Castle Mound, The Great Hall and Queens Apartments, Castle Hill Church, Castle House, Chalk Lane and adjacent car parks. This area, mainly owned by the Borough, has become largely underused and a site of anti-social behaviour. It has potential to make a positive 3 Developing the ‘heritage gateway’ offer for central Northampton FINAL contribution to the heritage offer and landscape for visitors and therefore is included in the scope of the ‘heritage gateway’ zone. 7. Purpose of the feasibility and options appraisal The partners and the stakeholders are in the process of refining ideas around a ‘heritage gateway’ into the town focussing especially on the railway station, the Castle Hill area, lower Marefair and St Peter’s. This includes current proposals put forward by the Friends of Northampton Castle and Churches Conservation Trust. The ‘heritage gateway’ project as a whole therefore has a number of components. The partners will support the development of the cultural and heritage elements across this range of developments by ensuring a continuity of officer involvement. The partners therefore wish to employ external expertise to deliver a feasibility and options appraisal for the defined Castle Hill area, positioning this within the wider plans for the creation of a ‘heritage gateway’ into the town. This feasibility and options appraisal will have to demonstrate understanding of the historical importance of the castle site, nationally and locally, and the context in which any plans for future development would need to sit. Therefore it will need to include a survey and analysis/interpretation of current evidence and information about the site, consider project proposals from key stakeholders The Friends of Northampton Castle and the Churches Conservation Trust, and develop an understanding of the nature and extent of plans for the various regeneration projects being undertaken around the site.