A new cinema and council homes will be built in Ollerton after plans were approved.
Newark and Sherwood District Council will demolish the Forest Centre and the Lloyds TSB bank on Forest Road, Ollerton, and the Town Hall on Sherwood Drive to make way for a mixed-use scheme.
The authority’s planning committee approved the scheme at a meeting on Thursday (4 June), during which the plans were described as “an important regeneration catalyst for the town”.
A new two-screen cinema will be built in their place, alongside space for smaller businesses, a café, customer services, and office space for the council.
Three terraced houses, featuring two bedrooms and two parking spaces each, will also be built as part of the scheme.
A public realm area will be available for use as a venue for pop-up markets.
Ellie Buchanan, regeneration project delivery manager at the council, said: “This regeneration project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-establish the town centre as the civic, economic, and social heart of the community.
“The scheme will act as an important regeneration catalyst for the town, improving local economic performance, increasing footfall, enhancing connectivity, and providing a new leisure offer.
“The delivery of new, well-designed, high-quality public realm spaces, and the overall appearance of the scheme, will contribute to creating an attractive new heart for the town centre.
“This will re-establish a sense of pride in the area and contribute to reducing local crime, creating a safer, more inclusive environment for all.”
According to the plans, the new homes will front Sherwood Avenue and will replace the old Town Hall.
The homes will be affordable rental properties within the council’s own housing stock, helping to reduce the waiting list for homes.
The area between Rufford Avenue and Forest Road will feature two large buildings.
One building will include seven smaller businesses on the first floor, while the ground floor will feature a retail unit, town hall offices, staff and meeting rooms, shared offices for the council, a customer service area, and interview rooms.
The cinema, a café, and another retail unit will feature in the second building.
Cllr Linda Dales said: “I really like this scheme. I have done since the start. I think it is a shame we didn’t manage to get another storey on it for some neighbourhood healthcare provision, but that wasn’t up to us.”
Cllr Penny Rainbow added: “It will enhance connectivity to that area of Ollerton, and it will improve pride in where people live, where it is really needed.”
An agreement with Tesco has been reached regarding parking, at no cost to the council.
However, both councillors criticised the parking plans owing to the tandem-space proposals.
This configuration means two or more vehicles will have to park one behind the other and, while it doubles capacity, it can result in one vehicle being blocked in until the other moves.
It is anticipated that demolition and site clearance will take place in the autumn, before construction begins in the winter of this year.
