The Making Mansfield Place Board has welcomed the news that the district is to receive funding from the Government’s Towns Fund.
Mansfield District Council submitted a bid for £26m in October 2020 on behalf of the Place Board, which comprises representatives from a wide range of partner organisations.
Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams said: “While the council and Place Board are disappointed not to have received the full amount, we are pleased to hear that up to £12.3m is on the way to Mansfield.
"This will inject much-needed cash into the district and help to kick-start regeneration in the local economy at a very crucial time as we emerge from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. It will also encourage further investment to help make Mansfield a destination of choice for living, working and learning."
Andrew Cropley, Principal and Chief Executive of West Nottinghamshire College and Chair of the Making Mansfield Place Board, said: “Our intention through the bid is to make a significant investment to give more people the skills they need to access well paid, high quality, forward-looking, secure employment. We also want to enable local businesses to upskill their employees so they can become more productive, embrace new technologies, enter new markets, grow their businesses and offer yet more opportunities to local people. Whilst we’ve only been given half of what we need, I hope this funding will help us in realising this vision."
Mansfield MP Ben Bradley said: “This money is really welcome and a lot of people have worked very hard to make it happen so a big thank you to all those involved.
“We have some projects approved here that residents will really welcome and that will be a big boost for both our town centre and local economy.
“With the Levelling Up Fund also opening today and Mansfield being given some cash to support business cases to submit there too, I’m confident there’s more to come.”
The bid submitted last year included 13 projects based on investment of more than £70m and covering themes of town centres, skills and growth, transport and connectivity, health and wellbeing, and identity and brand, and with the environment a key consideration in line with Mansfield’s green agenda.
The Government has confirmed it is willing to consider that the funding be used to support any of the following 10 projects:
- Destination Mansfield (investing in parks and sports facilities)
- Warsop Community Leisure Hub
- Destination Mansfield branding programme
- A future technology skills and knowledge exchange centre
- Mansfield Woodhouse micro-tech units
- A new multi-agency Civic Hub for public services
- Student accommodation to support growth in higher education places
- Warsop Heritage Action Zone to support reinvigorating Warsop town centre
- Smart Mansfield (improving digital infrastructure)
- Cycling infrastructure improvement
As part of the second phase of the Towns Fund process Mansfield will prioritise the projects and complete business cases for those it wishes to progress for further government consideration.
The final projects are expected to be delivered between 2022 and 2026.