Ashfield District Council – Towns Fund Investment Update

Further details of the Towns Fund submission were discussed at the Discover Ashfield Board.
Following their previous meeting, the Board met again on Friday to further discuss plans for the Towns Fund submission for Kirkby and Sutton.
The Discover Ashfield Board has ambitious plans that outline how the £50m up for grabs for Sutton and Kirkby would be spent. As well as benefitting the two towns, the government are accepting plans that will impact the wider regional area.
Cllr Matthew Relf, Cabinet Member for Place, Planning & Regeneration said “The planned Automated Distribution & Manufacturing Centre is a project that will have an impact on the whole of the East Midlands and possibly nationally. The Construction Centre and Civil Engineering Centre are both projects that will have benefits that stretch out beyond Ashfield’s boarder to neighbouring authorities, offering fantastic opportunities for young people across the area.”
As part of the Towns Fund, Kirkby and Sutton could receive up to £25m each to fund plans to create thriving and revitalised town centres, with a wide range of services and retail offer, a vibrant night-time economy and enhanced leisure offer.
Plans will be submitted in January, and at last week’s meeting of the Discover Ashfield Board, which includes a wide range of stakeholders including business, education, health, transport, other councils and your local elected councillors, the exciting plans for Kirkby and Sutton were discussed in detail.
A range of projects have been developed across the District for new housing, better education and leisure facilities, and to support and grow the area’s visitor economy. Projects include:
 

• At Fox Street we will be redeveloping the derelict plot of land behind Lloyds bank to provide better access between ASDA and Portland Square, additional car parking and a place for popup events.

 

• On Low Street we will be purchasing vacant units and renovating them for a variety of new uses on the ground floor and residential apartments above.

 

• We are working with the Sutton Community Academy on a major renovation of their theatre so that it becomes a new public facing community theatre and cinema.

 

• A Maker Space that will offer access to tools and work spaces so that those lacking the space or funds at home will be able to make anything they like.

 

• We are working with Inspire, Sutton Community Academy and Vision West Notts on a new joint construction skills centre. We are also working with Vision West Notts on a new civil engineering education centre.

 

• At the Northern end of Outram Street we will have a new fund that will purchase vacant shops and develop good quality residential conversions.

 

• Around Kirkby station we are planning a new gateway building with a business hub, transport interchange and to the South, start up industrial units.

 

• In Kirkby town centre pedestrianised area we are converting three vacant units into a new indoor market. On the plaza we will be building a new café and coffee shop and across Ellis street a new landmark building will provide apartments and space for business and health uses

 

• At Sutton Lawn and Kingsway Park we will be further expanding these sports hubs with better facilities

 

• At Kings Mill Reservoir we are developing a new leisure offering that will enable more people to experience water sports activities and the beauty of the reservoir.

 

• We will be helping support the exciting plans at the Sherwood Observatory to build a new planetarium.

 
In addition to all of these physical projects we are also working on a raft of programmes focussed on helping people and businesses in the area with developing skills. These range from helping tech novices to start using the Internet, to helping businesses to develop their online presence so they can access new markets, through to helping people in the maker space and new training centres to learn a new skill.
Cllr Matthew Relf, Cabinet Member for Place, Planning and Regeneration said “The Discover Ashfield Board and the Council have been working hard over the past 12 months to develop a range of exciting projects that will benefit all Ashfield residents. The proposed projects will have a real impact on further developing Kirkby & Sutton town centres as thriving hubs, and improve our already excellent leisure offerings.”

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