Last year, Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) secured £10,000 of Lottery funding for revitalization efforts in St Katherine’s Gardens. The initial phase involved the installation of new planters, bins, seating areas, and striking murals, with the plants funded by Northampton Town Council.
This week marks the commencement of the second phase of work, aimed at infusing the park with a fresh ambiance through the planting of new shrubs, flowers, and trees. The ongoing project also includes the addition of three benches and two murals, to be crafted by students from Northampton College.
The planting initiative was a collaborative effort between Northampton BID, Northampton Town Council, and volunteers from the Royal British Legion and Workbridge. Under the guidance of Liz Wing and Clare Robertson-Marriott, volunteers selected a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, along with herbaceous perennials, for three distinct areas, including the RBL memorial garden.
The chosen plants were meticulously curated for their structural integrity, texture, and color, as well as their ecological significance in providing sustenance and habitat for local wildlife, aligning with efforts to combat climate change.
Mark Mullen, operations manager for Northampton BID, expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress, stating, “The ongoing work to transform St Katherine’s Gardens has been a resounding success, helping to bring back an unloved corner of our town into a vibrant and welcoming place for everyone to enjoy.”
The transformational efforts in St Katherine’s Gardens have received support from various stakeholders, including Stepnell, the main contractors of the Market Square redevelopment, and ongoing discussions with Kier, responsible for revitalization works in Abington Street and Fish Street.
St Katherine’s Gardens, once the site of the 19th-century church of St Katherine, serves as a vital pedestrian pathway connecting the Bus Station and Horsemarket, bordered by businesses on College Street, St Katherine’s Street, and King Street.
Volunteers involved in the project were treated to lunch at the nearby Northampton Town Centre Hotel as a token of appreciation.
Cllr Andrew Stevens, Chair of Northampton Town Council’s Environmental Services Committee and Climate Change Forum, emphasized the importance of restoring habitat loss in the face of climate change. He remarked, “The volunteers have worked really hard to research, source and plant an abundant range of perennial shrubs and flowers that will give all year-round color and provide a habitat and food for birds and insects.”
Stevens continued, “St Katherine’s Gardens is now a more varied green space, much improved for both people and nature, and within only a few minutes’ walk from the Market Square.”