News

Government re-confirms Ashfield will get £20million to invest in Kirkby

By Latifa Yedroudj, Junior Local Democracy Reporter

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Ashfield District Council says £20 million of funding for Kirkby-in-Ashfield has been re-confirmed by the Government after it was put under review.

The town is one of the 75 areas across the UK that have received significant Government funding towards regeneration projects.

A plan was developed last summer for how the money would be spent, but was put on hold after Whitehall said the money was being re-considered. It has now been confirmed the funding will go ahead.

The Government’s ‘Plan for Neighbourhoods’ scheme, which was set up in 2025, is a long-term strategy to invest in areas that have been “left behind”, documents say.

The plan will help “revitalise local areas and fight deprivation” with a mission to  “take ownership for driving the renewal of their neighbourhood”, Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister said.

Funding will be delivered to local authorities in April 2026.

The £20 million will go towards the Kirby Neighbourhood plan to improve the town over the next decade, Ashfield District council said.

The authority is currently deciding exactly where the money will be spent.

A neighbourhood plan gives residents the opportunity to influence how a neighbourhood develops through the planning system.

Last summer, The Kirkby Town Board agreed a draft plan for after speaking to residents and local businesses in the area.

The Kirkby Town Board will hold further meetings to discuss reviews on the plan and will carry out consultations with residents, local organisations and businesses.

The final document will be submitted to the Government during the submission window, which runs from spring to the end of the year.

Cllr Jason Zadrozny (Ash Ind), Leader of Ashfield District Council, said the funding is a “start” but not a means to an end, as Kirkby has been “desperately underfunded for years”.

He said: “It’s not a big amount of money if you’re spreading it thinly across services.

“The crucial thing about the plan is us asking the public what they think we need to invest in, rather than the council coming up with the ideas.

“We set up the Kirkby Town Board, which has members from charities, sports clubs and local businesses, and we’re finding a way for them to look through the different options to regenerate the town.

“This includes investing in the local economy, fixing highway problems and improving the high street.

“We’re also looking at investing in parks and open spaces. There’s all sorts of areas where we can improve the public realm for people, to live, shop and enjoy open spaces.

“It’s a blank canvas right now – residents can get involved soon.

“We will soon be carrying out public consultations so residents they can feed in their ideas and get involved.

“This is a good start for Kirkby. The area has been desperately underfunded for years. This is just a little of what the area deserves. We hope it makes a big difference.

“It’s a start, and it’s really positive news for the town to secure this funding. But this is the beginning of a project and not the end, as there is still a lot more to do.”