By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
Newark & Sherwood District Council is looking to buy a former bank as a key part of its Levelling Up plans for Ollerton town centre.
The Government awarded the council £20m last month towards plans including creating a cinema, better shops, pubs and eating areas, and a centre for public services.
Documents published ahead of next week’s cabinet meeting show the council is moving quickly to make the plans a reality.
They include the bid to buy the former Lloyds bank on Forest Road.
A likely floor plan suggests this would be demolished to create a mini-High Street, linking up with the brownfield site where Courtaulds factory once stood on Rufford Avenue.
The avenue would be lined with business units and leisure facilities such as restaurants, cafés, a library, gallery and a three-screen cinema.
The Courtaulds site is currently owned by Ollerton Town Council.
The district council intends to negotiate the transfer to itself as part of the scheme delivery.
NSDC is also interested in The Forest Shopping Centre (next to the former bank) which is run by Johal Ltd, a partner in the scheme.
The decision to move forward buying or leasing these sites is likely to be approved at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 19.
Ollerton’s Levelling Up bid was initially turned down in the second round of funding, but was included in the government’s third round of £1.1billion investment last month.
Newark and Sherwood District Council leader Councillor Paul Peacock (Lab) welcomed the decision, saying: “These are very exciting times. The money will help to transform Ollerton town centre.
“The goal is to turn Ollerton into a destination people want to visit and increase footfall, as well as generating more investment.
“It will start work in a piece of land that has been derelict for 25 years.
“We’re grateful the money has come our way, but it’s long overdue. Ollerton and Clipstone have been neglected, as have lots of other former mining communities in the area.
“They’ve not had the investment they desperately need.”
The £20m will also build highly energy-efficient units in Clipstone which would be suitable for high-tech enterprises.
