New Wellingborough park opened on £1bn Stanton Cross estate

Town Park, a new 44-acre acre stretch of parkland at the heart of Stanton Cross in Wellingborough, has opened its gates to the community with a launch party.

The park was officially opened by members of North Northamptonshire Council, who joined the celebrations after taking a tour of the £1 billion development.

Members of the Stanton Cross community were also invited to the park for a launch party, where they enjoyed face painting, entertainment, and refreshments, as well as the chance to try out the playground and new walking and cycle ways.

Lee Barrett, divisional operations director for Vistry Group and a representative of Stanton Cross Developments, said: “Our Town Park is an important landmark which sits at the heart of Stanton Cross, so we were thrilled to welcome our community and representatives from North Northamptonshire Council to join us at the official opening.

“The park has been designed with the community in mind, offering a vast area of green infrastructure that not only provides multi-functional recreational space, but also contributes to the ‘sense of place’ that is becoming established at the development. We hope that everyone enjoys taking advantage of the many opportunities for recreation and relaxation that this fantastic parkland will offer for many years to come.”

The new 44-acre Town Park with its mix of native and ornamental planting is a ‘key feature’ of the £1 billion scheme and forms a focal point for residents.

Cllr David Brackenbury, North Northamptonshire Council’s executive member for growth and regeneration, said: “Stanton Cross is pivotal for increased growth and prosperity in North Northants but it’s essential that we find balance by ensuring the right infrastructure is in place and we create vibrant green spaces to preserve our wonderful natural habitats. I’m delighted to see this new Town Park officially opened and communities coming together.”

The Town Park is positioned adjacent to the 71-acre country park, due to open to the public in 2023. The country park will have a more ‘naturalistic’ feel with informal green spaces, open and accessible areas of grassland, and a further play area.

The River Ise runs north to south through and alongside both parks, and low level river crossings will be created to provide greater accessibility for the local community. A network of footpaths and cycle routes will also maximise the parks’ riverside position, while also connecting them to the wider development and providing links to Wellingborough’s green corridor.

Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said: “This development fits into our vision of creating sustainable new communities in North Northamptonshire – supporting a flourishing economy while maintain vital green spaces. It’s great to see this development taking shape.”

The Town Park and Country Park are intersected by Driver Way which provides a new link between the town of Wellingborough, its existing road network and Stanton Cross.

Stanton Cross is a £1 billion residential-led development to the east of Wellingborough which will eventually include 3,650 new homes, alongside new leisure and retail amenities and commercial space – including offices, industrial space and a trade park.