Demolition of Broadmarsh will cost almost £30m and expected to begin in July
The Broadmarsh as pictured in the council's masterplan (Nottingham City Council)
By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
The continued demolition of the former Broadmarsh Centre will cost almost £30m and is expected to begin in July, new documents show.
Nottingham City Council, which reclaimed the site following the collapse of the centre’s former owner, intu, is looking to land more than £3m in funding from the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).
If granted, the money will be used to continue demolishing most of the remaining shopping centre structures, paving the way for the site’s redevelopment.
A business case will be discussed at an EMCCA investment committee meeting on Monday (February 24), where regional leaders will review the case for the Broadmarsh demolition.
Documents show the entire demolition project is expected to cost £29.3m, begin in July this year, and finish a year later in July 2026.
“Broad Marsh is Nottingham’s highest priority regeneration project,” documents say.
“The masterplan for the scheme envisages that the former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre will have been replaced with a lively urban quarter, creating just over 2,000 jobs and providing a wide range of facilities, entertainment and
attractions.
“Funding is sought towards early demolition works associated with the land to the east of the Green Heart including elements of the existing Broad Marsh shopping centre frame.
“Multiple attempts and iterations of the scheme have taken place to help enable the project for development.
“With the demolition of the Eastern side of the frame, this unlocks the site for investment and development partners to de-risk and deliver investment to the project.
“The demolition of the southern part of the frame structure will serve to reduce holding risk and make the site more market-ready.
“The funding for the demolition not being available would not give the market certainty to be able to deliver the project.”
After the site was returned to the Labour-run council, a new vision was announced in 2021 following a public consultation.
Construction firm Willmott Dixon finished demolishing a section of the shopping centre in 2022, before work on the Green Heart city park began.
The new park, which features a marsh area and sandstone rock features inspired by the area’s history, opened in September last year.
Once the shopping centre is demolished, close to 1,000 new homes will be built alongside 20,000 square metres of employment space.
Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab), leader of the council, previously said the site would not feature student accommodation.
“We have got enough of it,” she said.
“Our ambition is to see more housing, more families, and working-class people moving in there, rather than students, so that is a commitment that we make.”
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