Sunday 3 November 2024
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Nottingham

Nottingham city’s vision to create 15,000 jobs by 2023 agreed

A draft council plan which aims to bring vacant units back to use and create thousands of jobs which have been lost during the pandemic has been agreed.

Nottingham City Council says it will help create 15,000 jobs by 2023 to replace 4,000 roles lost from the local retail and hospitality sector.

It also plans to save money by reviewing its council-run companies and selling off land and buildings it no longer needs to generate cash.

Its ambitious plans also include creating 4,000 new homes, filling 50,000 potholes, and reducing plastic use by providing water bottle refill stations in the city centre.

It also plans to transform the land across the River Trent to make it a prime location for people to live as well as encouraging more purpose-built student accommodation in the city centre.

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The council had to renew its Strategic Plan – drawn up in 2019 – on the back of a report into how it manages its finances following the collapse of Robin Hood Energy.

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At an Executive Board meeting on Tuesday, 17 August, the council said it had received 325 responses to its public consultation on the new plan.

It aims to boost employment opportunities across the city by 2023.

The authority believes this can be done by completing exiting developments at Nottingham Science Park, Unity Square and the former Players site.

Work will also begin on the BBC Island site and there will be further development of Nottingham’s Creative Quarter, next to Sneinton Market.

Twenty vacant sites will also be brought back into use for employment opportunities.

Councillor David Mellen (Lab), leader of the council, said the local authority was “under the cosh” due to “years of under-funding” by the government.

But he stressed: “We have retained the ambitions for the city whether it is building more council houses or changing our city centre to reflect its needs. This plan still reflects our ambitions.”

Councillor Sally Longford (Lab), deputy leader, described the plan as “fit for purpose” and “deliverable” despite reduced funding from government and the financial effect of the Covid pandemic.

The plan will be presented to Full Council in September for full approval.

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