Progress on Nottingham Broadmarsh development to be 'slower' after city misses out on funding
The leader of Nottingham City Council says progress on the Broadmarsh project may now be 'slower' because of the Government's decision not to contribute £20 million towards it.
The authority had submitted a bid to the Government's Levelling Up Fund totalling £57 million, with two of the elements focused on Nottingham's Island Quarter and improvements to Bulwell's town centre.
The Island Quarter developers have already pledged to continue the project as planned, but Councillor David Mellen says Nottingham City Council will now have to "look again" at how it funds part of the Broadmarsh project.
The £20 million would have centred on the Frame element of the Broadmarsh transformation, which seeks to retain and enhance the shell of the former shopping centre.
A 'first of its kind' skate park has already opened on the site and work is starting on the 'Green Heart' element, which will involve an area the size of the City Ground pitch being covered in trees and planting.
But in terms of the Frame element, Cllr Mellen said, "We always said that we were not going to be able to do this on our own and that we needed support, so we're going to have to look again at the Frame in terms of the money and that might include bidding in the third round of levelling up funding.
"It might now be that this decision means progress will be made slower and it is always possible with projects like these that they may have to be adapted along the way, but we are still determined to deliver the full project."
Many have expressed anger that the Broadmarsh bid was not backed by the Government. Scott Knowles, the chief executive of the East Midlands Chamber, said: "There are some obvious limitations to the success of the Levelling Up Fund.
"This is the second tranche of funding that Nottingham has missed out on, which is a huge blow given the desperate situation of the former Broadmarsh Centre, which remains in a dilapidated state almost three years after demolition work was halted."
Yesterday the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the distribution of funding.