January 2007
30/01/2007 - £50m Landmark Buildings get Go-ahead
Corby's regeneration landmarks - the £32.6m Civic Hub, and the £18m 50m International Pool - can now be built, after plans were given the go-ahead by Councilors on Tuesday 23rd January. Both developments are part of the Parkland Gateway development, which along with Land Securities £35m Willow Place shopping mall, will transform Corby's Town Centre. Work will start on the site in early February. The Civic Hub, due to open in 2009, includes: A modern flexible 445-seat Theatre and Arts space, and additional studio space; A modern, well equipped library; A ground floor Cafe and Hair Salon; A rooftop restaurant with views over Hazel Wood; Corby Borough Council One-Stop Shop and offices; Council Chamber which will also provide a marriage room for civil ceremonies; Terraced roof garden. Designed by Hawkins/Brown the Corby Cube is a naturally ventialted building with an elevation pattern of black and mirrored glass, set within the centre of the new town sqaure designed in partnership with Grant Associates. The Pool Complex, designed by S&P Architects, is due to open in late 2008. It will have the potential to be a regional centre of excellence for swimming, diving, and synchronised swimming and includes: A 50m Main Competition Pool with 5m, 3m and 1m Boards, capable of hosting National Swimming and Junior Diving events; 20m training/teacher pool; Fun pool with beach, 75m flume and other fun features; A 70 station fitness suite; Dance/exercise room; Meeting/function room; Cafe/viewing area; Creche; Health Suite. The overall plans for the development of the Parkland Gateway also include £2m to improve and secure the future of the Borough;s woodland, including a commitment to plant over 400 locally sourced native trees. Councillor Pat Fawcett, Leader of Corby Borough Council, said: "I'm delighted for the people of Corby who need and deserve the best leisure and cultural facilities. The Pool and the Hub are both striking buildings which will be real symbols of the regeneration of the town centre, and Corby as a whole. Bob Lane, Chief Executive of North northants Development Company, said: "This is great news for everyone living in Corby. The Willow Place shopping development is making great progress and it is vital that we keep up the momentum across all parts of the Parkland Gateway project. The Corby Cube and new swimming pool will be landmark buildings for Corby. They will challenge wider perceptions of the town and help create a successful and vibrant town centre for all." Mark Gowbridge from S&P Architects, who designed the Pool, said: "It's been an exciting journey so far and encouraging that S&P's original concept is finally being delivered to the community of Corby. With such strong ties to the Olympics and the buildings iconic form this is further evidence that the council intends to put Corby firmly on the map."
29/01/2007 - Northamptonshire: Number One for Motorsport
Hamilton (L) & Julie Furnival, NEL.
Northamptonshire Shows Why It's the UK's Number One for Motorsport at Autosport International
Key players in the motorsport industry heard Nick Fry, CEO of Honda F1, talk about his success and the unrivalled opportunities Northamptonshire offers at a special event held at the Autosport International Show at the NEC, organised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited (NEL). For good reason, the county is regarded as the hub of the UK's Motorsport Valley and Nick Fry highlighted it as being THE place for business within the industry. Already home to companies including Mahle Powertrain, Ilmor Engineering and Cosworth and Mercedes Benz High Performance Engines, the county boasts the infrastructure to attract and grow companies from all areas of motorsport, from engineering and technology, research and development and event infrastructure. Up to 40 start up and high performance engineering companies, based at the new state of the art Silverstone Innovation Centre, are benefiting from the expertise and investment to enable them to advance engineering and there are many opportunities for others to grow. As well as people from the motorsport industry, guests at the exclusive event included several Northamptonshire Ambassadors including Julian Winch of Snap-On Tools. The Ambassadors Programme, run by NEL, has high profile participants from leading Northamptonshire businesses and organisations who actively promote the county as a place to live, work and visit. Julie Furnival, Investor Development Manager of NEL, said: "Nick Fry has spent more than 30 years in the automotive sector so it was great that he could join us to share some of the secrets of his successes and to inspire our guests. Motorsport is one of the biggest industries in the county and we are playing a part in attracting new companies to locate here through activities such as the event at Autosport." Companies expanding or relocating to Northamptonshire have the reassurance of specialist support from Invest Northamptonshire - part of Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited (NEL). The service helps ensure running a motorsport-related business is hassle free by providing advice on finding premises, recruiting staff and facilitating networking. This comes as part of the government's multi-million pound commitment to grow Northamptonshire even further over the next 25 years.
Furnival, NEL.
Factfile: Northamptonshire - The World Class Destination for Motorsport.
- The only county with three race circuits: Silverstone, Rockingham and Santa Pod
- The largest number of international and national motorsport events in the country - including the F1 British Grand Prix
- Home to two F1 Teams - Honda & Spyker
- Central location with excellent road and rail links and five international airports within easy reach
- Just one hour from London
- An annual turnover in excess of £0.6m
- Employs more than 5,500 full time equivalent positions
- A significant share of the international supply chain including particular expertise in composite and precision engineering
- Four distinctive capabilities: Engine builders, Circuit and Venue Provision, Testing Infrastructure, and Road Infrastructure.
Motorsport Contact: Julie Furnival, Investor Development Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 10604 609393 Email: julie.furnival@northamptonshireenterprise.ltd.uk
Media Contact: Rachael Dewis, on behalf of W17 Ltd
Tel: 077401 99882
24/01/2007 - Putting People in their Place
Even before it has officially opened a new recruitment company has about 100 candidates on its books. Face to Face Recruitment, 6a Cambridge Street, Wellingborough, has been set up by Sue Neill who has worked in the recruitment sector for 30 years. A member of Wellingborough Town Partnership and a qualified secretary and transport manager, she said: "I am delighted that my new business has already been so well received. The aim of the agency is to match the right jobseeker with the right employer. "I take a very hands-on approach and as well as putting candidates forward for employment opportunities, we also offer them practical support such as CV preparation, mock interviews and generally help them make the best of themselves to secure the right job." The agency, which will be formally opened on Wednesday February 7th by Investor Development Manager for Northamptonshire Enterprise Ltd, Julie Furnival, is in the former MSB/New Beginnings office. Face to Face Recruitment can be contacted on 01933 225555, or at www.facetofacerecruitment.co.uk.
23/01/2007 - Pioneering Agency to Drive Forward Regeneration
The Government has today announced proposals for a new agency to deliver regeneration and housing in a major shake-up of the way it supports the delivery of new homes and develops mixed, sustainable communities in England. The proposed agency - Communities England - will bring together the functions of English Partnerships, the Housing Coporation, and a range of work carried out by the Department, including delivery in the areas of decent homes, housing market renewal, housing PFI, housing growth and urban regeneration. Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly said the new agency will further enhance the Government;s ambitious agenda to ensure social mobility and economic inclusion. "With the expectation of over £4 billion of public spending at its disposal, Communities England will pioneer innovative and more efficient ways of working with our key partners in the public, private and voluntary sector to get better outcomes from public investment in places. Central to meeting its challenge the agency will not only ensure greater value for money but also guarantee the very highest standards of quality, design, energy efficiency and sustainability. Above all Communities England will reflect the Government's ongoing drive to ensure that the ambitions of local people for their communities and their families are realised. This will enable Communities and Local Government to focus more on strategic policy making." English Partnerships chaiman Baroness Ford warnly welcomed the creation of Communities England:"My Board and senior colleagues are delighted by the outcome of the Housing and Regeneration Review. We have consistently supported the creation of a single new agency and a streamlined supply chain and we look forward to playing out part in creating that new agency. On a personal note I am absolutely delighted to have been invited to lead the team which will undertake the planning for the new organisation. The staff of English Partnerships, The Housing Corporation and Communities and Local Government have an enormous amount of talent and experience and I am looking forward to working with them in creating Communities England." Housing Corporation Chair, Peter Dixon, also strongly welcomed the announcement about the formation of Communities England: "The new agency will bring the strengths of the Housing Corporation, English Partnerships and the Department together to form a single agency dedicated to creating places that people choose to live and stay in. We look forward to working with new colleagues, building on past successes to create a body which can deliver even more to communities and the country as a whole." Today's announcement follows a nine month Review by the Department, in very close co-operation with the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships. Source: The Department for Communities & Local Government.
23/01/2007 - University Professor Takes Lead on Leather
Professor Geoff Attenburrow has become the first Leathersellers' Chair of Materials Science at The University of Northampton following a formal inauguration ceremony held on January 9th 2007 at The Leathersellers' Hall in London. The Chair will be fully funded by the Leathersellers' Company and marks a significant development of the existing partnership between The University of Northampton and the Leathersellers' Company. The event was attended by over 100 leather sector industry professionals, Liverymen and University staff, and also served to recognise the University's extensive expertise in leather manufacture and processing technology, research and education. Accepting his new position, Professor Attenburrow said: "It is a very great honour for me to be the first Leathersellers Professor at the University of Northampton, and I am very grateful to the Leathersellers' Company for their generous support. "Since taking up the appointment of Leathersellers Reader at the Univeristy's British School of Leather Technology in 1991, I have endeavoured to lead the development of research and knowledge transfer and establish the School as an internationally leading centre for leather-realted research." Looking to the future Professor Attenburrow added that he would be making it a priority for the Leather Division in the School of Applied Sciences to further develop work on collaborative projects with partners across the University as well as with external business. "Within the University's School of Applied Sciences we are collaborating on projects examining the environmental impact of leather production," he explained. "We have also formally set up a Centre for Research on Leather and Materials Science, which encourages the exchange of ideas between staff carrying out materials research at the University of Northampton. Outside the University it remains my ambition to involve the Leather Division in meaningful partnerships across the East Midlands, nationally and internationally. For amny years we have collaborated on a wide variety of projects with colleagues at the BLC LEather Technology Centre. I now believe the time is right to further build on Northamptonshire's unique heritage in leather and footwear." Vice Chancellor at the University Ann Tate added: "We are extremely grateful to the Leathersellers' Company for this generous donation. It serves to underwrite the University's pre-eminence in the field of leather related research and teaching and acknowledges our excellence in developing the application of leather in the field of design both in fashion and footwear and in interior design."
18/01/2007 - Towcester Prepares for Major Growth
South Northamptonshire Council expects proposals for major growthe in Towcester to be submitted later this year and is making clear to developers that meeting infrastructure needs, including the Towcester bypass, should be their priority. The Council's forward plan for Towcester is due to be published in February under the first part of the Joint Core Strategy for West Northamptonshire, and the Council strongly believes that any proposals for Towcester should follow this plan. Over the past few months, Persimmon Homes, Bloor Homes and Tenscentral have been putting together large scale development proposals for the town and planning applications are likley to be submitted in the summer. The Council is concerned that the early submission of planning applications may jeopardise much needed infrastructure, in particular the early construction of an A5 bypass to provide a safe and cleaner town centre. The Joint Core Strategy, which is part of the Local Development Framework, is being created to make sure that any development in Towcester is accompanied by a wide range of infrastructure to secure the benefits the town will need. But the Council have been told that the landowners and developers are not prepared to wait for the Local Development Framework to be approved. Councillor John Townsed, portfolio holder for planning, said: "I am naturally concerned and disappointed that the developers are adopting this fast track approach. It is extremely important that Towcester's growth is planned properly and that is best done through the planning process. It is imperative that any growth in Towcester is matched by all the necessary infrastructure including a bypass, public transport, affordable housing, education, health, community facilities, playing pitches, cycleways and green spaces. This is something that came through very strongly when we asked residents what they wanted for Towcester during the major consultation exercise last March for the Towcester Vision. "Whilst we all recognise that Towcester will have to take growth over the next five to twenty years, this should be done with the aim of achieving a balanced and mixed town community, shaped by the local community through the Local Development Framework. We are in danger of being driven by the landowners and developers and not getting the infrastructure needed for the town, in particular the bypass." The proposals will show major housing and employment growth to the south and west of the town. Persimmon & Bloor's proposals are for between 2500 and 3200 new homes and up to 28 hectares of employment land whilst the Tencentral scheme (which also includes the Persimmon land) is for between 4500 and 5000 new homes. Both proposals offer different solutions for the current A5, one of which could be promote the construction of a 40mph link raod with various roundabouts to serve the development. South Northamptonshire Council's Development Control Committee will not deal with the applications. Instead the applications will be determined by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation which has been given planning powers by the Government to determine major planning applications in and around Towcester. In the lead up to the submission of the planning applications, the developers are planning to hold a series of consultation events for the local community to obtain views on their proposals and what they see as the key components of thedevelopment. Once the formal planning applications are submitted to West Northamptonshire Development Corporation and formerly acknowledged they will be placed on public consultation and comments can be made on the proposals over a statutory period of 21 days. Source: South Northamptonshire Council.
18/01/2007 - Daventry Launches New Masterplan
Daventry District Council today launched their Masterplan for the future development of the town. The aim of the proposals are to create a framework for the creation of high quality developments in Daventry's Town Centre and the whole town with a strong identity and design structure, and a high degree of environmental, social and economic sustainability. The plan details proposals for several site developments for Daventry including Site 3 - the WaterSpace area, which includes a proposed canal marina, Site 5 which includes the redevelopment of the Old Gas Works car park and Outdoor Pool site with up-to-date leisure and retails facilities, and Site 4a centred on the site of the Daventry Working Men's Club, which will also include improved retail facilities. Council Leader, Councillor Chris Millar, said: "We are delighted to now have the draft Masterplan. It is a massive agenda for Daventry and the surrounding areas that will benefit all our residents and visitors to the town for years to come by providing better facilities. The plan pulls together all the different proposals for sites around Daventry and if it is not done this way then we will not be able to deliver our objectives of creating a sustainable community in Daventry that people can be proud of. "Our town has grown enormously since the last time any development framework was laid down in the 1960's, with our population approaching some 20,000 and likely to hit 40,000 by 2021. Now is the time for the people of Daventry to start taking control of their town's destiny and have their say in the future of the town." Economic and Regeneration Portfolio Holder, Councillor Chris Over, added: "The proposals would come with a number of benefits, including improved education with better sixth form services and wider employment opportunities in the town. "The whole priniple of this working document is to demonstrate a sustainable structure for the future expansion of our town and to seek views. In the meantime, it gives a clear vision of the direction the Council believes Daventry should move in. Nothing is set in stone, but the only way to deliver these improvements is to get inward investment, and the only way to get that is to give companies the confidence to invest and for that we need plans of where we are going and how we are going to get there." The plans can be viewed on the Daventry District Council website at www.daventrydc.gov.uk/atoz/daventrydevelopment or at the council's One Stop Shop reception at the offices on Lodge Road.
18/01/2007 - Oakley Vale Enters Fifth Phase
Cofton Ltd, the Birmingham based land regeneration specialists, has announced the release of the fifth phase of its Oakley Vale development in Corby, Northamptonshire. The latest sale of 24.15 acres (approx 250 homes) comes just over five years since commencement of work on Oakley Vale and confirms continued demand for new housing in Corby. In this relatively short period of time, Oakley Vale has become an established residential community with no less than 1200 houses now occupied or sold. Previous releases of fully serviced land by Cofton have resulted in strong interest from the UK's leading housebuilders and resulted in investment by Barratt, Bellway, David Wilson, George Wimpy, KingsOak, Jelson, Morris, Redrow and Wilson Connolly. Houses on the development have proved a good investment for buyers too with the value of an average three bedroom house rising from £105,000 in 2001 to approximately £164,000 today. With four bedroom houses available for below £200,000, Oakley Vale has already attracted families from places such as Bath, Coventry, Luton, Milton Keynes and Nottingham. The development has also played a key role in the place marketing campaign, launched by the URC North Northants Development Company in October 2006, which has initially targeted Londoners looking to leave the capital in search of better value housing or affordable opportunities for first-time buyers. Peter Nelson, Managing Director, Cofton Ltd, said: "Corby is fast becoming a property hotspot in the UK and Oakley Vale deserves much credit for that. Prior to the delivery of a railway station and new town centre, it has delivered over 250 housing starts per annum and has undoubtedly encouraged other residentail developers to invest in Corby and the wider region." Bob Lane, Chief Executive of North Northants Development Company said: "Owing to the number of completions at Oakley Vale, Corby is well on track to meet its growth area targets of 680 new homes per annum, which is a significant achievement and a major contribution towards North Northants reaching its target of 2,225 new homes per annum. This is an exciting time for Corby. Not only are we seeing a steady stream of affordable new housing but also the redevelopment of the town centre is well underway, new schools are in the pipeline and funding is in place for major improvements in its transport network." Source: North Northants Development Company
15/01/2007 - New Silverstone Study Centre Opens
The Silverstone Study Centre, jointly funded by Silverstone Circuits Limited, the Northamptonshire County Council and the Department for Education and Skills, has been operating since September 2006. A group of 18 students from Silverstone Junior School, aged 10-11, were the first to experience this fantastic new high tech learning envirnment. Silverstone Junior School Headteacher, Julie Letts, commented: "To have this facility in our area is a real benefit to our pupils. It is important to continually develop new and engaging ways of motivating young students, and Silverstone Study Centre succeeds in doing that." This is the 100th study centre to open in the UK and the fifth in Northamptonshire, with other centres based at Northampton Saints RFC, Rushden and Diamonds FC, Northampton Town FC and Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. Through the nationally acclaimed educational initiative 'Playing for Success', these study centres develop activities to promote motivation and development throughout the primary and secondary education phases and beyond. The new Silverstone Study Centr provide an unparalleled opportunity for schools to use a motorsport setting, and a wide range of activities and events, to raise awareness of safety, environment and health issues. The internal structure of the centre has been designed to mirror the circuit itself, with unique features including specially designed grandstand seating, complete with desks, a special-effects 'Bridge' across the room - encompassing automated lighting; projection screen; a sound, wind and smoke machine; and aroma canisters - and an interactive replica of the Silverstone F1 Circuit in the flooring design. The official opening event will showcase the activities that the students typically participate in at the Study Centre, including a tour of Silverstone Circuit, a musical performance by Kingsbrook School, and poetry with Silverstone Junior School. Alex Chilcott, Centre Manager, said: "Silverstone is rightly known as the home of British Motorsport and provides a unique learning experience alongside opportunities to develop new ground-breaking activities. These study centres help connect sports-mad youngsters with their school work and I am really pleased Northamptonshire County Council is part of such an exciting scheme." Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, commented: "Silverstone is proud to be a partner in this amazing educational initiative, and I am delighted to see local students benefitting from it. We are the first circuit in the UK to support an initiative of this nature and we are always looking for new ways to encourage young people to get involved in motorsport."
15/01/2007 - Cameron Visits Council Recycling Site
Cameron talking with staff from
Daventry District Council
Conservative leader David Cameron paid a visit to Daventry on Friday 12th January to see the Council's renowned Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Mr Cameron was greeted at the site by Council Leader, Councillor Chris Millar, before being taken on a tour of the facility by Corporate Manager Jo Gilford and watching the MRF operations in action. After seeing the site, Mr Cameron went on to meet children from Long Buckby, Falconers Hill and Guilsborough Schools, who had taken part in the Council's environmental awareness competitions and education programmes. Jo Gilford, Corporate Manager for Public Space, which includes the Waste and Recycling Service, said: "It has been a very exciting time for our officers and a lot of effort has gone into the visit. We are very pleased that Mr Cameron showeed such an interest in the site and its operations, and the visit highlighted how a small rural authority is not only achieving but surpassing it's recycling taget. "It's a great reward to be visited by such a prominent figure and have the hard work the staff undertake here recognised." Councillor Chris Millar added: "We were delighted that David Cameron could come to Daventry. He seemed very impressed with the facility and added that our environmental message was very much his own. He also said he recognised the major issues we have facing us in the future and added that he loved what we were doing with the school children and how creatively they had got involved." Daventry District Council is one of the UK's leading recycling authorities and for the past six years has diverted from landfill in excess of 40% of the household waste it has collected through a combination of weekly collections of dry recyclables and alternate weekly collections of compostable and residual waste. Waste and recycling are clear priorities for Daventry District Council and the authority has demonstrated its commitment to the service for more than 10 years, establishing it as a market leader within Northamptonshire and the UK. As a Beacon Council for Waste Management we host visits for other councils wanting to learn about our integrated twin bin system and we present at national seminars designed to encourage other councils to increase recycling rates. They are committed to increasing the recycling rate to 50% in the future and reducing the growth of waste.
05/01/2007 - State-of-the-Art Wellingborough Offices Nearing Completion
The £2.6 million refurbishment of a town centre office building which could create 200 jobs is nearing completion and is changing the face of Wellingborough. Scaffolding has now been removed from the six-storey office-block, nect to the Swansgate Shopping Centre in Sheep Street, which has undergone a comprehensive refurbishment programme to create state-of-the-art offices. The transformation of the 21,000 sq ft property is a joint venture by developers Ceil Properties in a venture agreement with their funding partners, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Invest Northamptonshire. Chris Billson, an Associate Partner at joint letting agency Underwoods, says: "Local residents and businesses alike appear pleased with the radical transformation of the building and it is encouraging that they feel that it helps to create a 'metropolitan' feel to the town. It is some years since the town has been able to offer a building of this size and of a specification expected in today's office environment. A good ratio of dedicated car parking spaces in the adjacent multi-storey car parki will also be a benefit in the marketing of the building. We are now speaking with potential occupiers in preparation for the building's completion this month." The main entrance fronting onto Sheep Street has been transformed with a bold treatment to the towering elevations and the former retail unit on the ground floor has made way for a concierge manned reception and visitor welcoming area. Air-conditioning has been installed and a complete floor by floor installation of the latest developments in information and comunication technology has been carried out. Natural light to the large footplate office space on upper floors has the spin off of panoramic views of the town and surrounding countryside - the spires of 15 churches can be seen from the top floor of the building. Interested occupiers can obtain further information fron the joint letting agents Chris Billson at Underwoods on 01933 231070 or John Batsford at CBRE on 0121 627 5503. Source: Business Times, Northamptonshire, January 2007.
05/01/2007 - New Office Scheme for Northampton
Development work will start soon on Swan Valley Office Village, a new high quality office scheme in Northampton, strategically located just off Junction 15a of the M1. Midlands developer Cedar House Investments have expanded their regional portfolio with the acquisition of the site and has just obtained planning permission to construct seven office buildings ranging from 1,630 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft within Phase One. The purpose-built accommodation will provide for flexible, qulaity space with a self contained identity for each occupier. Underwoods and North Rae Sanders have subesequently been appointed as marketing agents and Paul Tudor, Senior Partner at Underwoods says: "We are in no doubt that the first phase of the scheme will appeal to a variety of occupiers looking to buy or rent flexibly-sized units, which are not normally available at such a prime location. "Before the first sod is cut, a number of local businesses looking to expand in the area have already expressed serious interest. We are therefore confident that Cedar House Investments' philosophy of developing close to arterial road and major population centres will be duly rewarded with Swan Valley Office Village becoming a successful business destination." Over the past 12 months, Cedar House Investments has become one of the Midlands' most proactive developers. It is currently working on Headway Business Park in Corby, Calico Business Park at Tamworth and Charter Point at Ashby Park - all prime high quality business parks throughout the region. Further information on the offices under construction at Swan Valley Office Village and future design and build opportunities up to 30,000 sq ft can be obtained from Underwoods on: 01604 404060, or North Rae Sanders on: 024 7663 6888. Source: Business Times, Northamptonshire - Jan 2007
04/01/2007 - Porsche Plans Silverstone Link
Members of the British Racing Drivers Club have voted in favour of building a new driver training facility at Silverstone. An overwhelming majority of BRDC members accepted plans for Porsche Cars GB to develop the new facility at the county circuit, with the two parties now set to formalise the link and apply for planning permission. As part of the deal, Porsche intends to lease land from Silverstone to develop the facility at the east of the circuit on the site of the old rally sprint track, on the outside of Becketts. It is proposed that the purpose-built venue will have a test-track and driver training and safety facilities. Stuart Rolt, chairman of the BRDC said: "We are delighted to bring this illustrious association to Silverstone. It is an honour for our venue to welcome this world famous car manufacturer. The association fits well with our ambition for Silverstone and we are confident that the facility will enhance our hi-tech image." Source: NorthantsNews 18/12/2006
04/01/2007 - Prada to Take Over Church's Shoes
A leading Northampton shoemaker has been bought by Italian luxury goods group Prada, which plans to expand the company across the world. Prada, one of the world's most renowned luxury brands, has brought 55 per cent of Church's shoe firm, allowing them to take over full ownership. The famous Italian group, which had previously owned Church's, sold a 55% stake in the company three years ago. The move was expected to create a range of jobs in the county, as Prada said it would speed up the development of the traditional English brand and open several specialist shops across the world. Chief Executive Stephen Etheridge said: "It's tremendously positive for the company. We've had a few very successful years; certainly in the last three or four years we've had some good growth around the world. "Prada will be looking to make a big investment into the group and will be looking to expand our retail store network, by opening new stores in the Far East, Japan and America." Church's, which has factories in Northampton, Desborough and Kettering, expanded its workforce by 10% this year to meet growing demand for its footwear. The company now expects to hire even more workers, as its new owner opens more shops and sells a larger range of leather accessories. Mr Etheridge said: "The implications for jobs is we will continue to recruit and expand to meet the extra demand." Prada's re-acquisition of the 133-year-old shoe brand was believed to be part of a deal between Prada and an Italian bank. Prada saw off several other bidders in 1999 to acquire Church's in a deal worth £106 million. Four years later the Italian company sold 55 per cent of its stake in the shoemaker to private equity firm Equinox. Bu buying back the stake, the luxury goods giant has now regained 100% ownership of Church's. Mr Etheriedge said "Obviously Prada had a slight refocus in terms of what they are doing. They are very happy to acquire 100% of Church's. It's a big vote of confidence for us." Source: NorthantsNews 22/12/2006