Planning permission for council headquarters

Planners have given the go-ahead for Northamptonshire County Council’s new office building which will transform derelict land in the heart of Northampton.

BDP won the design competition in August 2013 for the new £34m office building which will enable the council’s workforce to relocate from 12 separate properties into one BREEAM Excellent headquarters.

Leader of the council Cllr Jim Harker said: “We are clearly delighted to have secured this permission which is a real landmark paving the way to one of the most significant regeneration developments in the town under the Northampton Alive programme.  The new headquarters will bring 2,000 members of staff into the town centre giving a welcome boost to town centre traders by bringing more spending power into the area.”

A full interdisciplinary BDP team has designed the building which offers high quality office space and a carefully detailed external envelope and public realm that will regenerate a historically important quarter of the town. The entrance faces a newly created public square, and leads into a four storey atrium reception and internal street. The building is designed as two forms which enclose a central courtyard, with office space, informal meeting areas, touchdown areas and other collaborative spaces grouped around it.

A main contractor appointment will be announced in September, with building work starting in late 2014.