December will be a milestone month for the construction of the new and improved Northampton Railway Station. By the end of the festive period, a new footbridge will be in place, while the main structure will have started to rise. The £20m Station will be twice the size of the current building with improved facilities, including bigger and better shops, cafés and waiting areas.

Construction of the 2,500 sqm building started in August, with utility diversions and foundation works now complete. Work on the steel superstructure will start this month, alongside the construction of a footbridge, which will eventually be joined to the new station.

To avoid disruption to passengers, the bridge span will be lifted into place overnight on Christmas Eve and early Christmas Morning when the West Coast Main Line is due to be closed anyway.

Chris Garden, WNDC's Regeneration Director said: “Given that the track is already due to be closed at Christmas, it is an ideal time to construct the footbridge. We have started an exciting stage of the construction process and I think people will be surprised at how quickly the station will rise. Within two months, it will be making an impression on the local skyline, with the size and shape of the building clear to see.”

Councillor David Mackintosh, leader of Northampton Borough Council, said: “A great deal of work has already been done on-site, preparing it for the construction work which will now begin. This new station makes a bold statement about our aspirations for the town and will provide a fitting welcome for visitors. It ties in closely with other important regeneration projects like the new bus station, St Peter’s Waterside and the innovation centre, which are also under way. Northampton’s star is rising and we are working hard to ensure it continues to do so.”

The new and improved station will open in summer next year and will be followed by the demolition of the existing building. Longer-term phases of the development potentially include a 1,270 space multi-storey car park, as well as a 28,000 sqm commercial development.

Related posts:

1. Footbridge to make way at Northampton Station
2. Historic station dig comes to an end
3. Construction of £20m Station Underway
4. Northampton Station continues to unearth the past
5. Redevelopment of Northampton rail station a step closer