Campbell Tickell helps Newark & Sherwood with regeneration plan

Consultancy Campbell Tickell has assisted a local government district with its regeneration plan. Newark and Sherwood, in Nottinghamshire, is now set to see hundreds of homes built in the coming years.

Campbell Tickell is a multi-disciplinary management consultancy focusing primarily on statutory and not-for-profit sectors. Established for 19 years, the firm now boasts a core team of 34 employees and a network of around 100 associate consultants, and has worked with more than 800 organisations throughout the UK, Ireland and beyond, with central and local government, housing associations, care providers, sports and leisure bodies, charities, and commercial organisations such as house builders and developers, contractors and legal firms.

Newark and Sherwood is the largest local government district in Nottinghamshire. Despite some large forestry plantations (including the ancient Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood fame), the district is not exclusively rural, with the towns of Newark-on-Trent, Southwell and Ollerton hosted in the area. As with the rest of the country, there has been mounting pressure for new housing in Newark and Sherwood. With a shortage of homes in the district, some 3,200 people are on the housing waiting list at present.

Thanks to this pressure, the regeneration of Newark has become essential – with the local council earmarking a 1960s Nottinghamshire estate for a much needed revamp as a result. Multidisciplinary consultancy Campbell Tickell was commissioned by the council in 2017 to assist with the large-scale regeneration project. Campbell Tickell worked with Newark & Sherwood Council to develop comprehensive regeneration plans which will see 320 new houses built in the Yorke Drive housing estate. Nearly one-third of these will be ‘affordable.’

HTA Architects, appointed by Campbell Tickell, developed the masterplan which will see some homes demolished and redeveloped, and new homes built on underused land. The estate improvements will also include a new access road and redesigned park and leisure facilities. The work is expected to commence in 2020, with a series of phases taking an estimated eight years in total.

Maggie Rafalowicz, Campbell Tickell’s Director overseeing the project, said, “We are delighted that the Yorke Drive masterplan has gained planning permission. This has been a collaborative effort involving the local residents, Council, and architects; and this is just the first step in making Yorke Drive a better place to live.”

The local council have recently come under fire from Newark residents, following the announcement of plans to build more homes on a popular playing field. Many in the community have opposed the plans which include 24 houses, six flats for supported housing, and two shared houses, citing concerns regarding a lack of green space for sport and children’s recreation in the area. Karen White, Director of Newark & Sherwood Council, believes that the Yorke Drive masterplan will help assuage some of these fears, however.

Commenting on the news, White said, “This is an exciting scheme to transform and regenerate the Yorke Drive area of Newark - including hundreds of new homes, better sport and play facilities and a new community pavilion. The approval of the planning application follows on from extensive consultation and engagement with local residents and stakeholders, with the focus on making the area a safer and better place to live… The Council is now exploring the development options that will secure delivery of the regeneration proposals.”