Council To Sell Off Long-Standing Derelict Site In Desborough
Written by HFM News on 8th June 2023
North Northamptonshire Council is to sell off a site in Desborough which has stood derelict for over 20 years.
The authority’s Executive has declared the former Lawrence’s shoe factory site as ‘surplus’ and it will now be put up for sale.
PIC: ANDY CARPENTER
The council inherited the site off Harborough Road from the former Kettering Borough Council, which bought it in 2005 and says today’s decision follows an extensive review of options for it.
Various uses for the area, branded ‘a jungle’ by locals, have been considered over the years, including building a supermarket, community hub or council houses on the site, but none have ever progressed.
The part of today’s meeting looking at the future of the site was held in private, due to the ‘commercially sensitive nature’ of the discussions.
The council says the sale will help bring the site forward for redevelopment, providing wider economic development benefits in a reasonable time scale and will provide a value for money outcome for the Council.
It adds that the community will be engaged in the outcome of any development plan and progressing a sale will result in the Council reducing the revenue holding costs.
