Five big changes coming as part of town’s regeneration
COUNCIL PLAN WOULD REVITALISE 700 YEAR-OLD MARKET PLACE
FROM new student accommodation to the redevelopment of the railway station – there are some big changes coming to Mansfield town centre.
Mansfield District Council has set out its plan for the vision of the town’s future for years to come as part of its “masterplan”.
Discussions are now under way for a regeneration of the town’s market place - which dates back more than 700 years.
The council spent much of late 2021 having public consultations to find out what people would like to see to improve the town.
The 100-page document provides a look at the adopted local plan in a bid to guide the regeneration of Mansfield town centre for the next 15 years.
Mansfield’s masterplan includes options for the development of specific significant buildings – including The Town Mill, Beales and the Four Seasons Shopping Centre.
The council plans to work with partners and private developers and investors to create a mixed-use town centre with more food and drink, workspace, employment, cultural, leisure and educational uses that would increase the number of visitors.
It says that the four main challenges are growth, well-being, aspiration and place.
Here are some of the ways in which they plan to achieve those goals:
■ MARKET PLACE
Mansfield’s market place has been operational for more than 700 years and is open five days a week, attracting many visitors throughout the week interested in clothing, craft and international markets.
Part of the council’s vision is to use the space to engage in planting as a key opportunity to “green the town centre” for biodiversity, climate change mitigation and health benefits.
The masterplan states that whatever changes are made it must be ensured that the identity of the market place still draws on history and heritage character.
The council hopes to include unique elements which excite people.
Quite what that will be remains to be seen but it is hoped that any new designs will cater to both young and old people.
■ CLUMBER HOUSE
Plans to build student housing at Clumber House – an office block in town – were put forward as part of Mansfield District Council’s 15-year masterplan.
The council hopes the accommodation can be occupied by people attending the nearby West Notts College. The site is on the corner of Clumber Street and Leeming Street.
Residents gave mixed reactions to the idea of student housing in the town.
Mansfield MP Ben Bradley explained the council’s idea behind the development.
He said: “You know you find so often people who aspire to certain jobs and qualifications feel they have to leave and go somewhere else. “They never come back. “So you end up with an increasingly older demographic and your brightest and best disappear off somewhere else – that’s not healthy.
“So the college and Nottingham Trent University are trying to close the loop in terms of being able to study and qualify and work in key industries in Mansfield.”
■ TOWN MILL SITE
The council is looking to restore some life into the historic building, formerly the Town Mill pub.
The authorityhas put forward ideas of a pub, restaurant, hotel, or micro-brewery at the building, on the corner of St Peter’s Way and Bridge Street.
The outside space would help open up and improve connections with the River Maun.
Part of the council’s document read: “The refurbishment of this building offers opportunities to think more strategically about connections to the green corridor that runs along the River Maun and how this can better integrate into the town centre.”
■ BELVEDERE STREET Belvedere Street currently consists of a pay and display car park with 100 parking spaces.
It is allocated for retail and leisure uses in the adopted local plan.
Situated between Mansfield railway station and the town’s bus station, the site forms a gateway for people arriving in Mansfield and heading into the town centre.
Yet councillors remain unimpressed with the current site, with comments in the masterplan saying that it “creates an unattractive and underwhelming arrival experience for those entering Mansfield by car, bus or train”.
Councillors are hoping to improve the welcome experience for visitors.
The objectives behind the development at Belvedere Street are to extend town centre activity, increasing footfall in the area and adding a multi-storey car park to serve the town centre transport hub.
As it lies in a core retail area, the council hopes the street can provide more street activity, as in its current state it creates a poor and unsafe area for pedestrians.
THE RAILWAY STATION
One aspect of the vision to reinvigorate the town centre is to create a “greener” space close to the station as part of the council regeneration plans.
Under the ambitious Mansfield District Council regeneration scheme, one idea is to spruce up the station by improving the frontage to create a new “station square”.
The hope is to enhance the arrival experience for people entering the town.
Plans are also being discussed to add secure cycle parking and a dedicated taxi pick-up space closer to the station.
Speaking to the Post, residents have largely been impressed with the latest ideas, saying that more green space “sounds pleasant”.