News, Politics

Government housing agency Homes England agrees to buy former Broadmarsh site

By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter

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The Government’s housing and regeneration agency Homes England has agreed to buy the former Broadmarsh shopping centre site and has promised to work with the city council to realise its vision for the land.

Nottingham City Council, which took on the site in 2020 upon the collapse of the shopping centre’s former owner, intu, agreed to put the land up for sale at an Executive Board meeting on March 18.

The sale includes the entire site: the shopping centre remains, the cleared site west of the Green Heart, the NCP multi-storey car park, Severns House, and the old college site on Maid Marian Way.

Homes England, the Government’s housing agency, was revealed as the buyer on Monday (March 31).

According to the agency, the next stage of redevelopment will include de-risking of the site, such as demolition, to attract private sector developers with the necessary credentials and track record to deliver city centre projects.

Roughly 1,000 homes will be built alongside up to 20,000 square metres of retail, office and community space.

Up to 2,000 full-time jobs will be created.

Council leader Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab), who previously confirmed the buyer was a public sector organisation, welcomed the news.

She said:  ”It’s great to finally reveal the name of the buyer for such an important site. I have confidence in Homes England and the work they have already delivered across the country.  

“This is really positive news for Nottingham and marks the start of a major redevelopment for this key part of our city.  

“We know that people have wanted to see progress here for a long time and we understand that it has been a frustration for some that this hasn’t happened.  

“We’re excited by the plans that Homes England has, and we look forward to working closely with them to bring these to fruition.”  

Documents published by the council in March say building work on the shopping centre area – following its full demolition – is not expected to start until 2029, nine years after it first closed following intu’s collapse.

However Cllr Khan previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service work could be completed sooner.

Homes England says it will “maintain close collaboration with the council” to ensure the strategic vision for Broadmarsh is successfully realised.

Under a previous plan unveiled in 2021 – drawn up with the help of urban designer Thomas Heatherwick – a vast part the former shopping centre’s external frame was intended to be re-purposed for “innovative” new spaces.

However, in May last year the council released its new masterplan for the site, which instead retained a much smaller section of the frame following concerns from potential developers and investors.

Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, added: “The acquisition of Broad Marsh is a major milestone in the city council’s vision of regeneration for this area of Nottingham.  

“We have worked closely with the council since 2022 to provide professional advice and support.

“Now that we have acquired the site, our teams will be working with partners to attract the right developer to deliver the new homes, employment spaces and leisure facilities necessary to create a vibrant city centre neighbourhood that the people of Nottingham can be proud of.”

In February, the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) agreed to give almost £3.4m to the continued demolition of the former shopping centre.

The entire demolition project is expected to cost £29.3 million and is due to start in July this year, before finishing in July 2026.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward (Lab), said:  “Homes England’s purchase of Broad Marsh is an investment into the future of Nottingham – a future that the people of Nottingham have been asking for and the city council has been pushing for, which can now be realised.”