Plans to turn Wellingborough’s neglected waterside into a leading Northamptonshire attraction are going out for consultation.
Some of the ideas include, river taxis, eateries, a marina and a museum for the 3.1m stretch of the river Nene and embankment located between Upper Wellingborough Lock and Chester Farm.
After two-and-a-half years of workshops and brainstorming meetings with over 20 organisations, the River Nene Regional Partnership (RVNP) which has led the waterside regeneration project wants to put the draft masterplan out to Wellingborough residents to get their feedback.
All of this will be taken into consideration as a final plan will be devised by the summer, the RNVP will then start looking to find private or public funding to get the project going.
This has the potential to be the biggest regeneration project the town has seen in recent decades and comes at a time when 6,500 extra homes are being built at the north and eastern sides of the town.
Chief executive of community interest company RVNP Kathryn Hardcastle said everyone with an interest on the riverside from nature enthusiasts to recreation groups, local businesses and landowners has been involved.
She said: “We are a small organisation and what we are really about is helping other organisations to achieve their objectives to make the waterside a sustainable destination.
“A few years ago we were hearing lots of ideas from many different people about plans for the Wellingborough waterside. So we thought it would be good to bring them altogether in a working party and share all the ideas in one place.
“We thought. ‘Why shouldn’t Wellingborough have grand aspirations? How do we get it on the map?’ The waterside is an incredible asset and there are some really lovely parts. One idea would be to link it more to the town centre with a walk. Back in Victorian times there used to be a riverside festival and
“We then commissioned a landscape architect, following a £15,000 grant from Wellingborough council, and he took all the ideas and has come up with a scheme.
One popular idea is to build a marina. Local businessman and president of the Wellingborough & East Northants Chamber of Commerce Simon Toseland is support the idea and would be involved in getting investors to make the proposal become a reality.
Another idea is to turn the old Whitworths flour mill, that is currently populated by pigeons, into a museum telling the history of flour manufacturing. Kathryn Hardcastle says the company is receptive to the idea.
“There is so much opportunity to attract boaters and also develop all aspects of the waterway was so it benefits everyone.
“I think there are probably about 1,000 boats moored between Northampton and a lot that travel through the area and don’t currently stop. That is a missed opportunity and there is so much that could be done.”