Work to start on Mansfield town centre masterplan

Mansfield town centre

Work is set to start on a town centre masterplan that will guide regeneration in Mansfield over the next 15 years.

The council's Head of Planning and Regeneration, Martyn Saxton, took a delegated decision on Friday (26 June 2020) to appoint Allies and Morrison, partnering with Cushman & Wakefield and Urban Flow, to draw up the masterplan.

The first stage of the masterplan exercise is expected to result in an initial report by the end of the year, with the final masterplan, expected to be produced by summer 2021. 

It will be a critical element of the emerging Local Plan and the council's overarching strategy, ‘Making Mansfield: Towards 2030’, which seeks to transform the district and meet its four main priorities: Growth, Wellbeing, Aspiration and Place.

The masterplan will also be used to channel up to £50m of potential government investment from the Towns Fund and Future High Street Fund.

Cllr Stuart Richardson, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth, said: "Our regeneration plans are really starting to move forward and we look forward to seeing what this work will produce.

"This masterplan is being drawn up at a critical time for the future of this district and Mansfield town centre.

"Times are changing - not only as an immediate consequence of the coronavirus and its effects on the local economy but also because of longer term changes in the way people shop and use town centres.

"We have to be bold and ambitious in our vision for the future in order to recreate a town centre that will be future proof and attractive to outside visitors as well as residents and people who work here."

The first stage of work will look at: 

  • Existing studies and data affecting the town centre
  • Economic and local market analysis of the town centre
  • How people access and travel to the town centre, as well as how they use it
  • Town centre street furniture such as benches, lampposts and signs
  • SMART City analysis – understanding how technology can be used to facilitate the visitor experience
  • Assessing environmental performance of the town considering air quality and green infrastructure
  • How planning regulations can be simplified to support appropriate development.

It will also involve consulting with landowners and stakeholders, such as Mansfield BID and town centre users, to find out what they see as important factors in revisioning the town centre.

A report from the first stage will be published and be followed by a public consultation. This will then form the basis of a second stage of drawing up the masterplan.

The second stage will draw up more detailed action plans for key sites and how they could be funded, along with a planning strategy for how they could be delivered.  It will also develop approaches to support sustainability, including walking, cycling and public transport as well as green infrastructure enhancements.

Further consultations with landowners and stakeholders will take place before the final masterplan is published.

The consultation is costing £71,844 and comes from Mansfield's initial Towns Fund allocation.

Published: June 29th 2020