Mansfield District Council has received the go-ahead for the Warsop Health Hub and Mansfield Woodhouse Station Gateway, following a delegated decision by the Section 151 Officer at the authority.
The projects will now be shared with the Making Mansfield Place Board for endorsement and once secured, the council can press ahead submitting the required planning applications, appointing contractors and beginning construction works.
The Hub and Station Gateway are just two of six projects included in the council’s £12.3m Towns Fund allocation. Berry Hill Park, Destination Mansfield and Smart Mansfield were approved by officers and endorsed by the Place Board members earlier this year.
£506,000 of Towns Fund money has been set aside for the Mansfield Woodhouse Station gateway, which includes the creation of three business units. The site where the units will sit is a former brownfield site and lies adjacent to the railway station at Mansfield Woodhouse.
Mansfield Woodhouse Station Gateway artist impression
Head of Planning and Regeneration at the council, Martyn Saxton said the vision for the gateway project will “support the growth of businesses in Mansfield and create jobs”.
He said: “The Station Gateway scheme will see the delivery of three new build industrial units, complementing the six-unit development already on the site – allowing a wider range of businesses to grow and flourish.
“We’ve seen locally there is a healthy demand for small industrial spaces and currently Mansfield has a limited supply. This project will not just deliver positive visual improvements to the currently derelict land, it also offer employment growth in the area. The council is playing an active part in supporting local businesses to get started and help them grow with new and affordable unit space.”
The Station Gateway scheme will see the delivery of 290 sqm of commercial floor space. All works are expected to be completed by spring 2023.
The full council agreed in March to earmark £1.5m from reserves to part fund the Warsop Health Hub, and also approved the borrowing of up to £3.5m to help deliver the scheme. £3m is allocated to the plan from the Towns Fund, and a bid has been submitted to Sport England for a further £1.5million.
The scheme will see a 15m x 8m swimming pool, a changing village, fitness suite, a multi-purpose hall and a new and improved multi-use games area created in the town.
David Evans, Head of Health and Communities at the council added: “We are committed to building these new community facilities in Warsop.
“We hope to see them transform a huge part of our community and bring improvement to the quality of life for local people. They will also help to address some of the health inequalities that exist in this district.
“We have committed our own funding to this scheme as well as Towns Fund money and are hopeful of securing additional funds from Sport England in the near future.
“The Warsop Health Hub is now moving forward in the development of its final design with planning permission expected to be secured by March 2023, and works to commence on site later in the year.”
