Flats set to be built on site of car dealership

West Northamptonshire Council will consider the plans to demolish Tony Brooks's garage and convert it into flats

A town centre car dealership and showroom is set to demolished and replaced by a block of flats.

The Tony Brooks site on Court Road, Northampton, will be replaced by the eight-storey apartment block if planning consent is granted.

An application has been submitted for 54 flats across two connected towers, one six storeys high and the other eight, with apartments ranging in size from one to three bedrooms.

West Northamptonshire Council planning officers are recommending councillors grant approval, subject to conditions.

If approved, the flats will replace the car dealership, which has been in Northampton since 1983

They highlighted the "public benefits" of providing car-free, "environmentally sustainable housing".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the project has undergone significant revisions since the plans were first submitted in 2021.

Initial concerns over wasted space, undersized units, and an inefficient layout were addressed, resulting in a more refined design.

The development will also include a commercial area on the ground floor with two large units, as well as accessible landscaped terraces and rooftop gardens for residents.

Mr Brooks, the applicant, described the project as a "vibrant mixed-use and sustainable development of the highest design quality."

Due to the site's proximity to Northampton's railway station and town centre, no parking has been included in the plans as it is judged to be "well located for access to all modes of travel."

The council said planning conditions, including at least 35% affordable housing, over £200,000 towards education provision, and contributions to local libraries, would ensure community benefits.

The application is due to be considered by the authority's planning committee next Thursday.