Northampton’s Market Square contractors invest in local businesses

Over the past year West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) contractor for the Market Square works, Stepnell, have been engaging with businesses to add social value by upskilling our workforce and investing in small and medium businesses.

As part of an ongoing commitment to ‘Level Up’ West Northants, WNC ensures that the contractors for our regeneration projects add social value to the community they are working in. This social value requirement means that investment from the Towns Fund not only enables us to deliver great projects such as the Market Square redevelopment, but some of this investment directly benefits communities across West Northants.

A number of colleagues working on the project live in Northampton. Dan, who is a Site Engineer at Danaher and Walsh, (Stepnells main sub-contractor) is coordinating and overseeing aspects of the construction.

It is nice to work in my own town, it’ll be good to be able to bring my family down to the Market Square once it’s open and show them my work. I have gained a lot of new skills while working on the project.Dan, Site Engineer

It is great to work in my local town, within the community. Working on our turf rather than further afield. Employing local people to support the project, they are eager to work in their own town.Lewis, Paving Supervisor

Delivering on these social value requirements has included partnering with schools to deliver engaging workshops, providing employment and placement opportunities as well as supporting local businesses to grow the local economy.

By delivering expert advice through over 8 hours of workshops and webinars Stepnell developed expertise and upskilled the workforces of local businesses. This has provided the businesses with the knowledge to be able to better operate and compete as part of public and private sector supply chains.

To ensure that the benefits of investment in Northampton are felt across West Northants, Stepnell is committed to spending over £1.5 million with local small and medium businesses over the course of the Market Square project.

In addition to investing in our local businesses, the contractor and main sub-contractor from the Market Square project helped to renovate a nearby green space. St Katherine’s Gardens is a green space in central Northampton that provides a walkway between the bus station and Horse Market.

As part of the Coronation ‘Big Help Out’ last year Stepnell and their subcontractors Danaher and Walsh donated and installed benches, hanging baskets, garden decorations and railings for the green space.

The regeneration of the historic Market Square is set to transform the heart of Northampton Town Centre. By working closely with Stepnell and their sub contractors we have boosted our economy by investing in local businesses, upskilling local colleagues and adding social value to our region as part of the construction project. We will continue to work together to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach across West Northamptonshire.Councillor Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNC

Adding social value and engaging with the communities we work in is a fundamental part of our ethos here at Stepnell. We strive to promote local skills and support the growth of responsible local businesses. It’s great to see the positive impact that we are having in West Northants through these social value projects.Adrian Barnes, Regional Director at Stepnell