New visitors' centre in Sherwood Forest to benefit from £63 million East Midlands cash boost

The project will see £500,000 being spent on a new visitor centre at the site and improvements to existing walking and cycle routes.T

It is hoped this will encourage higher numbers of visitors to the area as well as new jobs.

The funding is part of a wider £63m funding package for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire which will be given to the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership area - the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – to help create jobs, build homes, raise productivity, support businesses and encourage economic growth.

Andrew Percy MP, Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, visited two beneficiaries of D2N2’s new LGF funding – the site of a proposed new Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, in Edwinstowe, and the Sherwood Energy Village, in New Ollerton – on Thursday.

He said: “Our £63 million boost will mean more money directly invested into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to fund major projects that will create jobs and support businesses across the region.”

Funds will also be made available to redevelop town centres in Nottinghamshire which is expected to create or secure up to 500 jobs across the area and support local small business owners.

Sherwood Energy Village in Newark will also benefit from the cash boost - the project involves the development of new industrial units and will create around 40 new jobs.

Councillor Alan Rhodes, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, who was at Sherwood Forest today, called the funding ‘great news’.

He said: “Not only will it help promote new opportunities in the north of our county, it has the potential to drive further growth and prosperity in town centres across the whole of Nottinghamshire.

“We have always been totally committed to plans for a new and modern visitor centre at Sherwood Forest. By using LGF the new centre would be a real boost to tourism in Nottinghamshire, attracting more visitors to this iconic woodland, while protecting its ecological and environmental value for the future. Importantly, this would also mean new jobs and investment for the County.”

Councillor Diana Meale, Chair of the Economic Development Committee said:“Nottinghamshire is a thriving county with great potential for further economic growth and prosperity. We are a key part of the Midlands Engine and we are proud of our work with businesses and the Local Enterprise Partnership in generating more and better jobs for local people, helping businesses to grow and creating a prosperous Nottinghamshire.”

“We are now one of the best connected counties in the country, more people are in work, more businesses are starting and growing in our economy and we have a stronger more diverse business base.”