Towcester Masterplan

Shaping the future of Towcester

The people of Towcester have had their say on the future of the town with the adoption of the Towcester Masterplan at full Council on 17^th March 2011.

The Masterplan sets out an exciting future for Towcester as a great place to live, work and visit.

The Towcester Masterplan has been prepared by South Northamptonshire Council to provide a framework for the future development of the town.

The Towcester Masterplan sets out how the town will be renewed and regenerated over the next 15 years through limited growth in housing, employment and associated services in a way that is sustainable. The Masterplan aims to maintain Towcester as a Market Town, whilst securing new, modern facilities and infrastructure including a relief road. It contains extensive proposals for improving the town centre and sets out plans for new leisure, education, social and community facilities that the town needs to be successful.

The Masterplan for Towcester aims to support its diversification and strengthen its economy and relationship with the villages in order to retain economic resource in the District and reduce the outflow of talent, spending and investment.

The Masterplan aims to secure the integration of the existing town with the new development areas and strengthen the existing town as a place to live, work and visit. The plan identifies the most appropriate locations for new growth with the establishment of a clear boundary that gives certainty to how the town will grow in the future and avoids uncontrolled growth.

The adopted Towcester Masterplan builds on the already completed Bury Mount and Watermeadows sites and the Moat Lane development scheme to show how Towcester might provide new homes and new jobs. Alongside this new housing and employment the Masterplan sets priorities for improving town centre viability, movement, leisure and recreation, open space, education, health and community services.

The Towcester Masterplan brings together plans for the development at Moat Lane, other key opportunity sites within the town together with the proposed Towcester South urban expansion including the Persimmon/Bloor proposals, the proposed Jackson-Stopps Town Park and the Towcester racecourse.

Following public consultation, the adopted Masterplan contains a short and long term action plan, specific information on site development and more details on the relief road proposals.

Now it has been adopted, the Masterplan will assist the Council in discussions with developers in determining planning applications to secure high quality development, related infrastructure and secure gains for the community.

Public Consultation

The Draft Towcester Masterplan was consulted upon for a period of six weeks, beginning on Monday 26th June 2009 and ending on Monday 7th August 2009. The deadline for all comments was Monday 7^th August 2009

Staff from South Northamptonshire Council were available to discuss the draft Masterplan during a consultation drop in exhibition. Over 200 people attended these events. At the exhibitions there were a set of display boards which included extracts and explanations from the draft Masterplan.

Details of the staffed exhibition events held are set out below:

Towcester Town Hall Meeting Room

Friday 26^th June 2009 12pm to 7pm
Saturday 27^th June 2009 11am to 4pm
Sunday 28^th June 2009 11am to 4pm

Towcester Leisure Centre

Monday 29^th June 2009 2pm to 7pm
Tuesday 30^th June 2009 2pm to 7pm

Details of the public submissions and the detailed response incorporated into the final Masterplan have been made available in the Towcester Masterplan Consultation Report: Annex A ; Annex B