Ashfield District Council has formally submitted plans for the former factory shop site in Kirkby.
The run-down shop on Ellis Street, which has now been demolished, was purchased by the Council earlier this year. Once cleared, the site will welcome a modern apartment complex featuring 20 homes and a flexible ground floor space, bringing town centre living to Kirkby.
The three-storey building will use fabric first techniques as well as air source heat pumps and solar panels, to ensure that heating, water, lighting and ventilation is as energy efficient as possible. There will be a living green roof to introduce a habitat for insects and provide further insulation.
Not only will the project provide a modern new frontage on Kirkby Plaza, it is hoped it will act as a catalyst for further external investment into Kirkby. Increasing the amount of people living in Kirkby’s town centre means more spending power, with local businesses feeling the positive impact.
The project is one part of the Council’s wider aims of regenerating town centres across the District to attract more investment, support local businesses, provide more jobs for local people, more quality housing, and to improve quality of life.
Councillor Matthew Relf, executive lead for growth, regeneration and local planning, said: “The factory shop was a place of great memories for many who worked there but time has moved on and the site had deteriorated significantly.
“The North Kirkby Gateway project is redeveloping this site to bring a wonderful new building looking out across the plaza, bringing new commercial and residential spaces right into our town centre. This will help increase footfall in the town centre and help frame the plaza, bringing more buzz and activity back to Kirkby.
“This is yet another of our many regeneration projects moving through to delivery, helping make Ashfield a fantastic place to live, work, study, shop, and play.”
This project is one of 21 which are funded by the Council’s combined £70m Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund.
