Twycross Zoo is set to launch a new £25 million Global Conservation Centre, bolstered by £18 million in government funding. Positioned as the UK’s largest-ever public investment in a zoo, the facility aims to become a central hub for international conservation efforts, scientific research, and education.

The site will host a 200-seat lecture theatre overlooking a new Bornean orangutan habitat, research labs, wildlife classrooms, and on-site accommodation for visiting scientists and students. The initiative involves collaboration with eight leading UK universities and is expected to open by late 2026.

In addition to supporting global biodiversity, the centre is designed to generate regional economic value. Estimates suggest that the project will create 90 direct jobs and inject £3.9 million of Gross Value Added (GVA) annually into the local economy.

A new Indonesian-themed zoo zone will open alongside the centre, featuring habitats for threatened species and linked education programmes. Twycross Zoo is also expanding its conservation work in Indonesia through partnerships with Borneo Nature Foundation and Action Indonesia.

The centre supports Twycross Zoo’s wider 2030 strategy, which targets reversing IUCN Red List status for 15 species. Construction begins in June 2025, establishing the Midlands as a growing centre of applied conservation expertise.

Revised plans for the redevelopment of Nottingham Forest’s City Ground have taken a significant step forward, with approval recommended for the proposals ahead of a planning committee meeting next week (26th June). The hybrid scheme comprises a full planning application for the redevelopment of the Peter Taylor stand (including the demolition of existing buildings/structures), new public realm, a replacement club shop, and car parking, and an outline planning application for up to 170 residential units. This application was originally received by Rushcliffe Borough Council in November 2019, with a final revised scheme presented to the planning committee in July 2022. Notable revisions were made, related to the reduction in scale of the residential aspect, the introduction of commercial uses to the residential building, the re-provision of the club shop within the stand, and technical work to demonstrate impacts of the development could be adequately mitigated and controlled. While, at the time, planning committee meeting members resolved to allow the granting of planning permission, subject to conditions, due to the extended passage of time that has elapsed, it has been considered necessary to return the application to the planning committee for fresh consideration. The plans will see the demolition of the Peter Taylor Stand, Champion Centre, Club Shop, associated outbuildings, and NRC’s Britannia Boathouse building, and the development of a new stand with capacity for 10,000 seats, including associated stadium facilities and a new club shop. The proposal would increase the overall capacity of the existing stand by around 5,000 seats. The replacement stand would also accommodate business and commercial activities. The replacement stand would continue to be accessed from Pavilion Road, but a new plaza would be created between the proposed replacement stand and the proposed residential building. The residential element would offer 170 apartments over 13 floors, with seven commercial units on the ground floor. Issuing a joint statement, Nottingham Forest and Rushcliffe Borough Council said: “Nottingham Forest has been in regular dialogue with Rushcliffe Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council regarding the redevelopment of the City Ground. “The parties can confirm they are working towards the Rushcliffe Borough Council Planning Committee date of Thursday 26 June to consider the application. There will be no further comment other than as required by the relevant legal process.”

Work is progressing on a £14.5 million affordable housing scheme in Sandiacre, Derbyshire, led by Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) in partnership with Moorbridge Developments. The 53-home development sits across Gas Street near the River Erewash and Erewash Canal, close to the Grade II-listed Springfield Mill.

The project includes 22 shared ownership homes and 31 for affordable rent, all managed through Erewash Borough Council’s Home Options system. Properties will range from two to four bedrooms and are designed with high energy performance in mind. Each unit features solar panels, electric vehicle charging points, private gardens, and allocated parking. All homes are built to EPC A rating using a fabric-first construction method to improve energy efficiency and reduce running costs.

NCHA’s delivery is supported by funding from Homes England as part of a strategic push to expand affordable housing across the East Midlands through 2028. The site, designed by Urban Plus and built by Moorbridge Developments, aims to blend sustainability with the area’s industrial heritage.

Construction has already started, with the first homes expected to be ready by autumn. Full project completion is scheduled for summer 2026.

Formal approval has been granted for a planning document to make new developments in Nottingham more environmentally-friendly. Senior councillors on the city council’s Executive Board gave the green light to the Reduction of Carbon in New Development Supplementary Planning Document (Carbon SPD) on Tuesday (17 June). SPDs add further detail to policies in Nottingham’s Local Plan. They can be used to provide guidance for development on specific sites or on particular issues, and are a material consideration in planning decisions but not part of the statutory Local Plan. The aim of the one approved, which was created in partnership with Broxtowe Borough Council, is to promote the reduction of carbon in new developments at the earliest design stage when this can be of no cost, or low cost, to developers. It will help the council to raise profile of the global climate crisis and encourage those companies building in Nottingham to support lower carbon use and long-term costs. The Carbon SPD forms part of ongoing efforts to reduce energy demand, improve energy efficiency and enhance the use of renewables in new developments. It explains how new developments can meet these requirements through:

• Energy and carbon reduction: strategies include passive design and passive cooling (which minimise energy consumption and reduce heat gain), incorporation of green and blue infrastructure (how natural and semi-natural areas are connected), enhancing building energy efficiency, utilising low-carbon heat sources and technologies, and integrating renewable energy
• Sustainable construction: Emphasis is placed on the prudent use of materials, including the reuse and recycling of materials, sustainable material selection, reducing embodied carbon, and promoting building reuse and retrofit

Councillor Jay Hayes, executive member for housing and planning at Nottingham City Council, said: “This is a really important document that officers have worked on jointly with colleagues at Broxtowe and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to approve it today at Executive Board. “We’ve made a commitment as a city to jointly deliver carbon neutrality by 2028 and have been clear from the outset that’s not something that the council can do by itself. We need local organisations and industries to help – and developers are key to that. “It can be a complex area for them to navigate but the Carbon SPD will help developers explain to our Planning Committee how they will be reducing carbon use during and after construction. “This is a win-win situation really because it allows developers to showcase their environmental credentials and understanding of how traditional building methods must change and adapt. At the same time, it helps both ourselves and Broxtowe work towards our carbon-neutral aims.”

A £22 million deal has been finalised for the fourth phase of Derby’s Castleward regeneration scheme, introducing build-to-rent (BTR) housing for the first time in the development’s history.

The agreement brings together Lovell Partnerships and BTR developer-operator Placefirst, marking Lovell’s first BTR venture in the East Midlands. The deal extends Lovell’s role as lead contractor at Castleward, which is the city’s flagship £100 million regeneration project.

Placefirst has acquired two plots from Compendium Living that will deliver 33 single-family rental homes and 79 apartments. The handover of the first properties is scheduled for Q1 2026.

Located between Derby Midland Station and Derbion shopping centre, Castleward is set to deliver around 800 homes, commercial space, and green infrastructure by completion. The scheme plays a central role in the city’s residential pipeline and urban revitalisation strategy.

This latest phase signals growing institutional appetite for suburban BTR stock in the Midlands, underlining demand for professionally managed rental housing in regeneration-led zones.

Beth Bundonis, regional managing director at Lovell in the East Midlands, said: “Our vital work to create purposeful communities and bring forward effective housing in the East Midlands continues, with phase four – and the forthcoming phase five – adding to the vital regeneration of Derby and creating a lasting legacy built around top-quality housing. “This deal allows us to broaden the scope of what’s being delivered in Castleward and is a first for Lovell in the East Midlands, helping to solidify us as an enabler of housing choice for the fantastic partners we work with. “Through those such as Placefirst and Compendium Living – the latter of which has sold homes under the previous three phases – we’re able to make sure that whether they are looking to rent or buy, people can find a new home at Castleward.” Henry Marshall, investment director at Placefirst, said: “This latest partnership with Lovell marks an exciting milestone for Placefirst as we continue to grow our presence in the East Midlands – a region with huge demand for high-quality, sensitively-designed rental homes in well-connected, vibrant locations. “This forward-funded deal is a great example of how we work flexibly with partners to unlock opportunities and bring long-term, professionally managed homes to market – just one of a number of delivery models we employ.”