By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
A major plan aimed at transforming a number of key Mansfield town centre sites could be adopted by the council within weeks.
Mansfield District Council published its town centre masterplan document in 2021 with the aim of setting out its long-term vision for the historic mining town.
It set out the potential future use for key sites like Market Place, the Four Seasons Shopping Centre and the old BHS store, on West Gate.
And it promised to promote the town’s heritage by enhancing the use of iconic locations like the railway viaduct and listed sites like the Town Mill, in Bridge Street.
The council held a consultation on the document in late 2021 and says it is now in a position to officially adopt the masterplan.
Its overview and scrutiny place committee will meet on July 18 and councillors will be asked to support it.
If the plan does get backing, Cllr Stuart Richardson (Lab), portfolio holder for regeneration and growth, will be then asked to adopt the document during a decision in late July.
The masterplan would be used to set out future developments in the town and will be used when planning applications are assessed.
“The masterplan cannot deal with all eventualities but, if supported by the council, will provide a strong framework and vision for how the town centre could be improved,” the authority said.
“[It] will give the council greater influence over the implementation of the town centre vision and provide a robust framework for future development and regeneration of the town centre.”
The amended document includes a raft of new projects to reshape several key town centre locations, including making Market Place the “jewel in Mansfield’s crown”.
Projects for the central hub could bring a garden square with a variety of uses aimed at making the market an “attractive place to eat and drink”.
The town’s heritage sites would also be promoted, with the authority hoping to utilise empty space in arches under the historic viaduct.
This could include ‘maker markets’, food and drink venues or microbreweries, or activities like boxing, bouldering or rock climbing.
The council also sets out a long-term vision for Four Seasons Shopping Centre, suggesting plans for a “gradual redevelopment” in favour of a mixed-use scheme.
This could involve leisure, food and drink and work spaces and potentially “decanting existing shops” into empty highs street units.
It comes alongside plans to redevelop both the former BHS building, on West Gate, and the old Beales department store, in Stockwell Gate.
The BHS building is earmarked for a relocated indoor Mansfield Market, or could be redeveloped and linked with a potentially redeveloped Clumber Street.
This may include potentially turning Clumber House, on its corner with Leeming Street, into student accommodation or employment space.
And £20m in Government funding has already been secured to ‘level up’ the Beales site in favour of public sector offices – including the authority’s new headquarters.
Other plans include refurbishing the derelict Town Mill site and redeveloping the Dame Flogan Street and White Hart Street area into homes and employment land.
It comes just a week after the authority confirmed London-based Proctor & Matthews Architects was selected for the latter scheme, with a long-term budget of £16.5m to create 60 affordable homes.
And a “more attractive setting” could be created via a mixed-use square at the railway station.
