Gedling Borough Council and the Greater Carlton Neighbourhood Board have on 18 November, unveiled a landmark 10-year, £20 million Regeneration Plan for Greater Carlton – the most ambitious, community-led transformation programme the area has seen in a generation.
The plan, developed with residents, local businesses, community groups and strategic organisations across Nottinghamshire, sits within the Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods and the wider Pride in Place programme. It sets out a clear roadmap to improve opportunity, strengthen community pride, and deliver long-term change for more than 53,000 residents.
This Regeneration Plan has been shaped by an unprecedented level of engagement. Hundreds of residents took part in surveys, workshops, school conversations and targeted business engagement, alongside ongoing collaboration with Nottinghamshire County Council, East Midland Combined County Authority (EMCCA), the Police and Crime Commissioner, voluntary sector partners and key community organisations.
Across all engagement activity, residents consistently emphasised the same priorities: safer neighbourhoods, more opportunities for young people, improved health and wellbeing, vibrant high streets, and investment in green spaces and community assets.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, John Clarke said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape a brighter future for Greater Carlton. Our communities have been clear about what matters most to them, and this plan reflects their voice at every stage. Over the next decade, this investment will help create safer streets, stronger neighbourhoods, and more opportunities for our residents to thrive.”
At the heart of the plan are five missions that reflect those priorities, and which will inform investments made by the Board over the next decade. These focus on; raising skill levels and creating opportunities for learning, improving youth provision and aspirations, tackling health inequalities through better green spaces and community facilities, strengthening the local economy and high streets, and improving safety and the feeling of safety across neighbourhoods.
Each mission translates into a series of targeted interventions designed to address the specific needs of local communities, particularly in areas where inequality is most concentrated.
The plan recognises the distinct character of Greater Carlton’s neighbourhoods and balances investment across the whole footprint with more targeted support for areas facing the most significant challenges, including parts of Netherfield, Carlton Hill and Cavendish. It also reflects the area’s rich industrial, cultural and natural heritage.
Chair of Greater Carlton Neighbourhood Board, David S Stewart OBE DL said: “This ten-year plan is a wonderful opportunity for the residents of Greater Carlton to work together to enhance and regenerate the community.
“We want everyone to have a say in shaping the future so that there is a real sense of pride in place.”
Underpinning the Regeneration Plan is a robust evidence base drawing on official MHCLG datasets, Council consultations, health and wellbeing analysis, crime and perception data, transport and connectivity research, housing assessments and direct feedback from local businesses and community groups. This comprehensive approach ensures that the investment programme is both ambitious and grounded in need.
Delivery of the plan will be supported by a strong governance model, led by the independent Greater Carlton Neighbourhood Board and supported by Gedling Borough Council as the accountable body.
A wide range of stakeholders – including the Nottinghamshire County Council, East Midland Combined County Authority (EMCCA), health services, police partners, local employers, community groups and the area’s MP, Michael Payne will play a critical role in driving long-term change. Additional match funding and partnership opportunities will be explored with external organisations to maximise the impact of the £20 million core investment.
Chief Executive, Mike Hill said: “From the outset, this has been a truly collaborative effort, bringing together residents, partners and local organisations to build a plan that is ambitious, evidence-led and deliverable. The strength of the engagement and the clarity of the missions give us firm foundations for long-term, sustainable change.
By 2036, the plan aims to have delivered a measurable shift in the confidence, opportunity and wellbeing of Greater Carlton. Residents can expect improvements in pride in place, youth opportunity, health outcomes, community cohesion, safety, local economic resilience and environmental sustainability. The programme aims to create a stronger, fairer and more confident Greater Carlton area with a clear identity and a shared sense of ambition for the future.
