Former shoe factory among buildings to be demolished

4 hours ago

Nadia LincolnLocal Democracy Reporter

News image — The former Lawrence shoe factory in Desborough opened in the late 1800s but has been empty for almost 30 years

Google The facade of an old brick built factory, whose windows are boarded up or broken. It is two storeys and the bricks are a mix of white and sand coloured. Wild shrubs grow along the front — The former Lawrence shoe factory in Desborough opened in the late 1800s but has been empty for almost 30 years

Three buildings, including a derelict former shoe factory, will be demolished at a cost of £1.5m, following concerns about anti-social behaviour.

Reform UK-led North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) voted to knock down the Lawrence Factory site in Desborough, as well as a number of council-owned properties in Kettering, including the former Henley Day Centre.

The authority said the buildings were highlighted by the police as a safety risk and had been subject to ongoing anti-social behaviour and arson attacks.

Council leader Martin Griffiths said both sites had been "a blot on the landscape" for more than three decades and clearing the buildings would be the first step in regeneration.

Planning permission would be required for any works to progress, with demolition due to start in summer 2026.

Ken Harrington, executive member for assets, waste and environmental services, said that action on the two sites by the council was "long overdue", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Google The same factory seen from further away, showing its full size. A long brick warehouse is behind the main road, with trees and grass around it. There are many windows, some boarded up. Despite being derelict it looks neat. — The former shoe factory has been declared structurally unsound and attracts high levels of anti-social behaviour

Harris said: "We must always be aware and responsible for the wellbeing of people in North Northants.

"We do know that people have been entering both these sites and we've had vandals.

"I believe this should have been dealt with for safety reasons, if no other, long before now."

Since the Lawrence site was closed in the 1990s, the former factory has been subject to several redevelopment plans, but none have come to fruition.

There had previously been interest from supermarket giants Tesco and Aldi, and in 2023 a sale to the Co-op was proposed.

Deputy leader Cllr Eddie McDonald also reflected on his time as a police sergeant in the area 10 years ago, and said he dealt with "countless instances of antisocial behaviour".

"It was people going in setting fire, the kids hanging around causing damage," he told members.

"The biggest fear for that is, of course, the premises taking fire or falling down, killing the people inside.

"It will clear that site and allow an opportunity to improve the town of Desborough."

Google A car park with one-storey buildings on either side that look like an infant school. There are a few cars parked around the edges and a man wearing a high vis vest walks towards the camera, at a distance. There are trees and hedges behind the buildings. — The former Henley Day Centre on Saunders Close in Kettering will also be demolished

Both demolition schemes are together expected to cost up to £1.5m, which will be funded by council borrowing.

The executive member for finance said the one-off investment would put a stop to ongoing costs for 24/7 security, monitoring and emergency responses at the buildings.

For the Saunders Close site, this would reduce yearly maintenance and security costs from £135,000 to £15,000.

NNC also says it has spent nearly £50,000 this year on the Lawrence site, which would be reduced to a "nominal amount" after demolition.

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