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[edit] Growth
In mid-2003 the population of Kettering was estimated at 86,000.
Kettering is centrally located in North Northants, the biggest single growth area outside London. Set to grow to a planned population of over 370,000 people by 2021, the North Northants area will be a community equivalent in population to Bristol. It will see 52,100 new homes by 2021 with a further provisional 28,000 homes by 2031. The East Kettering development area alone covers over 300 hectares and extends from the A43 road in the north to the A14 in the south.
In March 2007, a massive urban regeneration project was revealed, which will refurbish and bring new leisure and shopping facilities to the town centre, including water features, public art, sculptures, new street furniture, trees, plants and an innovative pavement lighting scheme.[2]
[edit] Economy
Kettering has excellent transport links and lies roughly halfway between Sheffield and London by rail, and on the A14 East - West trunk road, approximately midway between the M1 motorway and the A1 road. The town benefits from its "Heart of England" location on the busy A14 and is said to be within two hours drive of 75% of the UK's population.[3]
Kettering's unemployment rate is amongst the lowest in the UK and has 80% of its adults in full time employment.[4] It is home to a wide range of companies including Weetabix, Pegasus Software, RCI Europe, Timsons Ltd and Morrisons Distribution as well as Wicksteed Park, the United Kingdom's oldest theme park, which now plays host to one and a quarter million visitors every season.
It is the home of Kettering General Hospital, which provides Acute and Accident & Emergency department services for the whole of North Northamptonshire. With its new £20 million campus, 16,000 students and 800 staff, Tresham Institute is a significant employer in the region.
Kettering Business Park, a recent and current commercial property development undertaken by Buccleuch Property is situated on the A43/A6003, on the north side of Kettering. Many office buildings are being built as part of the project as well as a leisure sector with a new hotel. Many large distribution warehouses have been constructed in the area, creating thousands of jobs for the local economy.
[edit] Culture
Kettering's Heritage Quarter houses the Manor House Museum and the Alfred East Gallery. The magnificent Boughton House, Queen Eleanor Cross and the 1597 Triangular Lodge are local landmarks within the Borough. Sir Thomas Tresham was a devout catholic who was imprisoned for his beliefs. When he was released he built Triangular Lodge to defy his prosecutors and secretly declare his faith. The construction's 'three of everything' - sides, floors, windows and gables - represent the Holy Trinity.
Kettering is home to Kettering Town F.C.. The football (soccer) club currently play in the Conference North, which is in the second tier of the English non-league football structure. In the season 2007/08 Kettering Town F.C. were promoted to the Nationwide Conference. Kettering Town F.C. was once managed by Ron Atkinson on his way up to managing Manchester United as well as Paul Gascoigne although he was eventually sacked due to drinking problems.
In 2007, most of an episode of British sitcom Peep Show was set in Kettering. However, it was not really filmed in Kettering, and all places shown in the show were named especially (such as the nightclub Land Kettering, and the hotel Park Kettering).
[edit] Politics
In Parliament, Kettering falls wholly within the parliamentary constituency of the same name, which is currently represented by Conservative MP Philip Hollobone, who gained the marginal constituency from former Labour MP Phil Sawford in the 2005 general election.
In the European Parliament, Kettering falls within the East Midlands European Parliament constituency and is represented by 6 MEPs (elected June 2004): - Derek Clark (UKIP / ID) - Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative / EPP-ED) - Roger Helmer (Conservative / EPP-ED)) - Bill Newton Dunn (Liberal Democrat / ALDE - Robert Kilroy-Silk (Independent (formerly UKIP and Veritas) / Independent (formerly ID) - Glenis Willmott (Labour / PES) - replacing former Labour MEP
In local government, Kettering falls within the areas of Northamptonshire County Council and Kettering Borough Council, which incorporates the small, satellite towns of Burton Latimer, Desborough and Rothwell.
A key local issue relates to plans to construct at least 145,000 new homes within Northamptonshire, increasing the population by 50%, including significant development for the Borough of Kettering. A protest group entitled STOP ("Stop the Over-development Plans for Northamptonshire") has been established, and campaigns against what it fears will be the creation of a "linear city" blurring the boundaries between Kettering and the neighbouring towns of Corby and, to a lesser degree, Wellingborough. There is less than two miles of open land between Kettering and Corby.
[edit] Notable residents
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
(Source: Wikipedia) |