Local people in Northampton are set to benefit from investment in skills, employment, environmental and economic programmes, as part of a newly launched Community Investment Plan by SEGRO – the owner and developer of SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton.
The plan will be carried out in partnership with local charity partners Track NN and Groundwork Northamptonshire, as well as Bosworth Independent College and the main construction partner for SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton, Winvic Construction.
A range of projects will be undertaken with the aim of achieving the following outcomes by the end of 2025:
This year’s community environmental project took place in and around a council building in the centre of the Racecourse Park – a 115-hectare site in Northampton – in partnership with Groundwork Northamptonshire, who are passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant and green, and was strongly supported by West Northamptonshire Council and their Park Ranger Team.
The project supported local unemployed people recruited from the local area to support them in their pathway to employment. The volunteers developed horticultural, practical landscaping and ‘green’ construction skills, as well as teamworking, communication and safety skills. Participants also planted wildflowers and herbs, installed bug hotels and raised beds to promote biodiversity within the site.
The space will be used as a community focused food growing and educational facility by a number of local community groups and partner organisations, including the council Park Ranger Team, the Umbrella Fair organisation, Friends of the Racecourse and Northampton Mind.
The Northampton Community Investment Plan is a key element of the company’s Responsible SEGRO commitments to boost skills, training and employment, as well as enhancing the local environment and biodiversity in the communities where it operates across the UK and Continental Europe. This is one of ten plans being launched in 2022.
Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics, at SEGRO, said:
“Community investment isn’t just nice to do, it’s about doing the right thing and wanting to make a real, long-term and positive impact on the communities in which we operate, especially for people and small businesses facing a range of challenges and barriers.
“SEGRO has put communities at the heart of its business for over a hundred years and through these plans we look forward to working with our inspirational local charity partners, suppliers and customers to deliver social, economic and environmental benefits for people in and around Northampton for many years to come.”
SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton will deliver up to 5 million sq ft of modern distribution space and a new rail freight terminal on a 35-acre site adjacent to Junction 15 of the M1, close to Northampton. The development, which will support over 7,000 jobs, also includes significant infrastructure improvement works, including a A508 bypass of Roade village, improvements to the A45 and M1 Junction 15 and extensive landscaping including new cycle routes and footpaths. Infrastructure and enabling works are underway, including major earthworks and site drainage to prepare development plateaus for the warehouse units
Cllr Phil Larratt, WNC’s Cabinet Member for environment, transport, highways and waste, said:
“The rail freight terminal at junction 15 will create economic opportunities or the whole of West Northants and I’m very pleased those behind it are also making genuine contributions to the wider community.
“The old council storage building was no longer needed and rather than let it drag down the rest of the park, SEGRO and Groundwork have helped give it a second life as a hub for the community and a way for local people to improve their skills.”
The Community Investment Plan is in addition to the company’s Community Development Fund of £375,000 to support the local parishes closest to the site for improvements to the public realm, nature conservation and the environment.