Broad Marsh project to be 'accelerated' after major £3 million funding boost

Nottingham City Council's leader says the confirmation of more than £3 million in funding will "accelerate" the redevelopment of the Broad Marsh after the project received a major boost. The funding for the critical project could be confirmed in days in what leaders have said will mark an "important step" in finally getting the project finished after years of uncertainty.

Half of the former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre has already been demolished to make way for the Green Heart, a plant-rich habitat which now sits in the shadow of the remaining Broadmarsh frame. The vision for that remaining half is for a mixed-use site to be created, comprising of 1,600 new homes and 20,000 square metres of office, commercial and leisure space.

The development is expected to create around 2,000 jobs, but it has been the subject of three failed bids to the previous Conservative government's Levelling Up Fund. Uncertainty has beset the project ever since the last rejection, with the city council acknowledging that it would not be able to fund the project itself given its financial difficulties.

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Yet Neghat Khan, the city council leader, recently promised an imminent "big announcement" on how the rest of the Broad Marsh development would be funded. The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), led by the first ever East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, has now announced that it could fund the project to the tune of £3.392 million.

The plan has always been that a small part of the former shopping centre's frame will be retained, becoming a key feature of the new development. Now, Nottingham City Council's leader confirmed that the £3.4 million funding would be used to demolish the other parts of the frame. Councillor Neghat Khan said: "This is key funding that the city has bid for to accelerate our ambitious plans for Broad Marsh.

"If we secure the grant at EMCCA's board meeting next week, this will be a great example of partnership working between the new regional mayor and Nottingham City Council, delivering on projects which provide huge benefits to Nottingham and our residents. This would help us continue our progress on the Broad Marsh masterplan to transform a key part of the city centre following on from the recent opening of the Green Heart.

"The funding would allow us to bring forward selective enabling-demolition of part of the remaining old shopping centre structure, which is good news for the city and continues our regeneration plans in this part of Nottingham."

The EMCCA was set up with millions in government funding to make local decisions and invest in local projects. Its proposed funding for the Broad Marsh was announced on Wednesday (December 11) along with several Derbyshire projects and £3 million of spending in Bassetlaw to move developments forward at three former coal-fired power stations.

Funding for all the projects, collectively worth up to £9.5 million, is set to be approved at a meeting of the EMCCA in Mansfield on Monday (December 16). Describing its planned investment, the EMCCA says: "Up to £3.392 million for Broad Marsh in Nottingham to carry out demolition of part of the frame on the land near to the newly opened Green Heart.

"This will be an important step in helping to bring forward work on Broad Marsh which will, when complete, deliver 1,600 homes and create just over 2,000 jobs, whilst providing a wide range of facilities, entertainment and attractions."

Claire Ward, the East Midlands Mayor, said: "Broad Marsh is one of the region's biggest development opportunities and this funding will help towards delivering the masterplan for the site.

"It will go towards the demolition of part of the frame near to the Green Heart and will be an important step in helping to bring forward work on the site. The Broad Marsh project has the potential to be a major boost for both the local and regional economy – it will create 1,600 new homes, just over 2,000 news jobs, plus visitor attractions and business space."

Hilary Silvester, Executive Vice-President of the Nottingham Civic Society, said: "That's excellent news, I think we would welcome that. We like what they've already done with the Green Heart near the library, so it's great if they're going to carry on redeveloping it."

The civic society executive added that she was never a fan of the original shopping centre from an architectural standpoint and welcomed the news that most of the remaining building will now be flattened. Ms Silvester added: "It was never very loved by anybody. When I first saw it I was horrified.

"It cut you off from the rest of the city, blocking off the south side from the city centre, and you couldn't work out where you were going. It's excellent news and we would hope to see some domestic development there, though not high-rise."