By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
The Mayor of the East Midlands has pledged to not “sit on money” after £9.5m was confirmed for six different projects across the region.
The East Midlands Combined County Authority agreed to spend £9.5m on six different schemes across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire during a meeting on Monday (December 16).
Schemes include a new junction to the A50 trunk road in Derbyshire to enable plans for 4,500 new homes, as well as £3.4m to kick-start demolition of a majority of the remaining Broadmarsh Centre in Nottingham.
During the board meeting in Mansfield, some concern from one constituent council leader was raised over the lack of consultation over where the money will be spent.
Cllr Milan Radulovic (Lab), leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, said: “I’d just like to know why these sites have already been chosen at the expense of all the other areas that never get anything?”
Mayor Claire Ward said: “The decision to bring these forward was based on the discussions we had at the previous board where it was clear that constituent councils and members did not want us to be sitting on money whilst we created a full pipeline, while it was clear some projects that would fit into this criteria initially.
“That is the reason why we brought these forward. It is important everybody understands that basis, but also understand the intent behind it to actually get things moving.
“The earlier we are able to invest in projects that are important for this region, that does not exclude others that will come forward in due course, is to show we are making a difference.”
On top of the trunk road and Broadmarsh projects, up to £1 million has also been allocated for The Avenue in Wingerworth.
The Avenue, once one of the most polluted sites in Europe, now features sports pitches, a nature reserve, and new housing, and the funding will go towards creating a southern access to the sites to deliver improved access for vehicles and pedestrians and enable future development.
In Derby, £3.75m will go towards redeveloping priority areas in the city centre to create a vibrant, sustainable, and accessible urban quarter featuring new homes and green spaces, as well as up to £1.5 million for a Research and Development facility at Infinity Park, within EMCCA’s Investment Zone, to support advanced manufacturing and nuclear sectors.
In Nottinghamshire, up to £3m has been allocated to move delivery forward for the Trent Clean Energy Supercluster, which includes the West Burton, High Marnham and Cottam power stations in Bassetlaw.
The West Burton power station site will be home to the future STEP prototype fusion energy plant, and the funding will be used to help kick-start the development of a Supercluster Discovery Centre, alongside new laboratories, incubators, co-working, training and conferencing space.
Claire Ward, the Mayor of the East Midlands, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Whether it is Derby, South Derbyshire in the growth zone, we know these are plans that have been identified in other authorities and other councils as needing real investment, but also because they will change those areas and ensure there are more jobs, more homes, more local growth.
“What we are doing is providing funding through our investment fund right across our region that will unlock some of those projects.
“The decision we’ve taken today is essentially move those projects forward by looking at those details and with a plan that we will commit further funding in due course.”
