New use for listed Art Deco factory

This stunning Grade II listed Art Deco building is a former leather factory in Northampton.
Still owned by the family who built it in 1939 for their leather business, the building boasts many of its original features in outstanding condition.

The project started with Acanthus Clews preparing a master plan based on detailed conservation-based research and analysis of the cultural value of the building.

A team of architects was involved in specific aspects of the master plan, including a building condition survey, a conservation plan and a development master plan. The conservation plan, a specialist area for Acanthus Clews, was accepted by English Heritage.

The plans for the reuse of the building and the site include retention of the Art Deco offices and the reordering of other areas. The powerhouse will be rebuilt as flats and the factory area converted into flats and some offices on the footprint of the existing building.

Land at the rear is proposed for large-scale housing development of up to a hundred dwellings, including detached, semi-detached and terraced houses. The design aim is to create buildings that are sympathetic to the Art Deco style of the site and to the historic setting.

The front of the site, around the existing main entrance, will be maintained as open space and will benefit from some additional landscaping.

Download Acrobat PDF Project sheet

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