Northampton has unveiled its bid to grow from a town into a ‘market city’ the same size as Cardiff or Leicester.

Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council and the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation have presented their vision for the town’s future to Northampton Ambassadors this week.

The publishing of the Market City concept follows the release of the draft Central Area Action Plan last week.

It outlines aspirations for Northampton to become ‘a modern, competitive city, able to prosper in a fast-changing economic climate; a place that will be less than 45 minutes by train from London, a global economic capital and, at the same time, a place that does not neglect or forget its historic roots, its heritage, its cultural assets or its location.’

Tony Woods, Northampton Borough Council leader, said ‘Northampton needs to recapture the confidence and aspiration of previous generations. Northampton is a fast growing place.

‘We now have to create the economic, social and physical environment that will attract people to come and live in Northampton, to invest in new businesses and create new jobs - a place to live, work and play.’

John Markham, OBE, chairman of the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation, said:

‘It is clear that a strong, thriving, prosperous, attractive Northampton brings benefits to the wider county and the other towns within it and this new vision, together with an emerging Joint Core Strategy and the Central Area Action Plan points to a bright future for Northampton.

‘This new concept ‘The Market City’ will inevitably attract differing responses and reactions from people and we welcome that as part of the process of defining what it means. I think we all have an idea about what The Market City concept includes, but positive suggestions and contributions from the public will be very welcome.’