Mansfield and Kirkby have both been awarded £20m to help transform the town centres.

The £20m Town Deals from the government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will give local people more of a say in changing their towns’ long-term futures.

#The towns will:

Receive a 10-year £20m endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities, like regenerating high streets and town centres or securing public safety.
Set up a Town Board to bring together community leaders, employers, local authorities, and the local MP to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.
Use regeneration powers to unlock more private sector investment by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in town centres.

This announcement follows previous Levelling Up funding, such as £20m for the redevelopment of the former Beales store and Mansfield town centre, and £12m from the government’s Towns Fund.

Mansfield and Warsop MP Ben Bradley, welcoming the news that Mansfield was among 55 towns to receive the funding, said: “It is amazing news that Mansfield has been awarded another £20m in Town Deal money.

“This means Mansfield has now been awarded more than £50m from just the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities alone.

“Combined with the funds we have secured elsewhere, this means that since 2017 we have secured more than £130m funding for Mansfield and Warsop.

“Our area has never had that kind of investment from central Government. It gives us loads of opportunities to do things.

“It’s important that it’s used to deliver positive outcomes where they’re most needed.”

Mansfield mayor Andy Abrahams said: “I am pleased to see Mansfield in line again for more investment into the district to help with our continuing regeneration work already taking place.

“We are progressing well with our multi-million-pound regeneration projects, including the £20m Levelling Up fund for Mansfield Connect, as well as making positive steps forward in the £20m Levelling Up Partnership announced earlier in the summer.

“This additional £20m pot of money from government demonstrates that it recognises the long-term challenges facing Mansfield, and it brings much-welcomed flexibilities in managing and spending resources.”

In Kirkby, Ashfield MP Lee Anderson said: “On top of the £70m already secured through the Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund, we now have another £20m coming our way.”

Ashfield District Council chief executive Theresa Hodgkinson said: “Once we receive further guidance, we will be holding detailed consultations with local stakeholders, businesses, and residents to start to develop plans.”

Since 2019 the council has secured more than £100m funding for 20 major projects in the area.

In Sutton these include a new Planetarium and Science Discovery Centre at Sherwood Observatory, and a new water sports centre and restaurant at King’s Mill Reservoir.

Theresa added: “These really are exciting times for Ashfield.”