News

£20m revamp project to Worksop shopping centre one step closer after planning delays

By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter

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The multi-million pound revamp project to a Worksop shopping centre is now one step closer to starting after a slight delay in the schemes financial contributions.

Back in October 2024, Bassetlaw District Council’s planning committee granted planning permission for the redevelopment of the Priory Centre in Worksop.

The scheme involves a part-demolition and part-new build extension to the centre, which will facilitate new tenpin bowling, crazy golf, a café and an indoor soft play.

A new indoor market will also be built, along with a separate food court and retail food and drink units.

Building contractors G F Tomlinson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service in October that they had hoped to commence building works early 2025.

However, a slight delay on the projects Section 106 agreement – which sets out the financial contributions developers make to help enhance local infrastructure – has meant physical progress on site has been limited and the scheme only approved on the council’s planning portal last Friday (May 9).

As the district council is the developer, it is not able to enter into a Section 106 agreement with itself, so required Nottinghamshire County Council to uphold it.

In a statement, Craig Taylor, Director of Regeneration and Neighbourhoods at the council, said: “This added an extra layer of complexity above and beyond a traditional Section 106 agreement, which has unfortunately taken longer than it would normally. However, we’re pleased to confirm that the agreement is signed, and the decision has now been issued.

“There are also a number of conditions attached to the planning approval, which include complex technical details of the development and construction, that must be agreed and discharged before any development on site can begin.

“While there may not appear to be much physical progress being made on the regeneration of the Priory Centre, we would like to reassure businesses and residents that we are working extremely hard behind the scenes, in collaboration with our contractor G F Tomlinson and other partners, to make a generational change to this part of Worksop Town Centre.”

The council cannot confirm at this stage when it expects building work to commence.

The bottom floor of the centre will include leisure units, retail spaces, the food court and the indoor market. The first floor will include bowling lanes.

Part of the wider redevelopment includes an outline application for up to 44 residential units and a new pedestrian footbridge over Chesterfield Canal to allow better access into the new centre.

BPL – the council’s leisure partners – will be behind the developments planned family entertainment complex.

The revamped centre will be paid for with £17.9 million of government funding awarded in January 2023 along with £2 million from the council and its partners.

The scheme will give just under £30,000 to NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, with nearly £27,000 going towards GPs.

If 44 properties are built, around nine homes will come under affordable housing.