East Midlands Development Corporation
The economy of Nottinghamshire could receive a major boost thanks to three major developments planned by the proposed East Midlands Development Corporation, including the transformation of Chilwell and Toton and Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.
Towns and communities across our county would be able to access tens of thousands of jobs and apprenticeships, new homes, and significantly improved transport links.
The developments, which cover an area larger than three Olympic Parks, are expected to deliver 84,000 jobs and contribute £4.8bn a year to the East Midlands’ economy, and will also create green spaces centred around Toton and Chilwell, Ratcliffe on Soar power station and East Midlands Airport.
Nottinghamshire County Council is a key partner of the proposed East Midlands Development Corporation, alongside Rushcliffe Borough Council, Broxtowe Borough Council, North West Leicestershire District Council and Leicestershire County Council.
We are helping fund the development of these life-changing plans to ensure it receives the £235m Government funding it needs to transform our county for the future.
The three development projects are:
This will be a new sustainable community, providing homes, jobs, and a National Skills Academy. The hub will also unlock vital new transport capacity created by HS2, which will drive better connections across the region.
The planned closure of Chetwynd Army Barracks in Chilwell provides an opportunity to create green spaces and connect communities that have previously been separated by the historic barracks.
Our proposal for a new ‘Garden of Innovation’ will preserve the area’s existing green spaces and heritage and create a new world-class zero-carbon sustainable community, providing 4,500 homes, stretching from Toton station to the barracks.
This will also include a National Skills Academy, providing new training opportunities for people locally and regionally, also generating thousands of new ‘innovation hub’ jobs.
The International Centre for Zero Carbon being planned at Ratcliffe-on-Soar has the backing of all the regions’ universities.
The project has the capacity to create 20,000 skilled jobs and apprenticeships, and put the county on the map globally for green energy.
Freeports are a special kind of port where normal tax and customs rules do not apply.
East Midlands Airport’s unique freeport bid, at the heart of the UK with unrivalled rail connectivity to all UK ports, would bring significant investment to develop and drive innovation, alternative energy sources and green technologies, creating thousands of new jobs in engineering and carbon zero technologies.
Benefits for Nottinghamshire
The three huge projects planned will have a positive and far-reaching impact on all our people, our places and our planet, similar to the long-lasting transformational impact that’s been seen in other parts of the country, like the Olympic Park in London and the Salford Quays development in the North West, which have truly transformed their boroughs and cities.
For Nottinghamshire residents this will mean more jobs, more houses and better transport.
Enhanced transport links
Critical to the success of all three major projects, is excellent, sustainable transport. All of the new developments will be within easy reach for many people in Nottinghamshire, with Ratcliffe-on-Soar, for example, just 45 minutes from Mansfield and Newark.
Green spaces with cycle and walking paths will be re-imagined, connecting the areas around Toton and Chilwell like never before, enhancing the natural environment and making places like the Kennerly Viaduct accessible once again.
Better transport links in and around the county that will benefit all, thanks to the proposed HS2 hub station, and major improvements to M1 Junction 25 and the A52, enabling speedier access around the country.
The Nottingham Express Transit (NET) tram route will be extended with new innovative transport connections that transform accessibility locally and regionally.
Environment and sustainability
Protecting and enhancing the environment is at the heart of the proposed East Midlands Development Corporation’s approach. It is committed to protecting green spaces and our natural environment, investing in the development of green technologies, and ensuring that all projects pave the way to a zero-carbon future, with the East Midlands at the forefront for the UK.
