Work is underway on Mansfield's new memorial garden and pocket park

A 2.4 metre sculpture will be the focal point of the memorial garden which also features seating, trees, plants and uplighting and terraced grassed areas that cascade down the former car park from Queen Street towards the grade II listed town hall.

The garden aims to be a focus for remembrance, gathering and thought.

The monument will not be specific to any group, date or experience and aims to celebrate the fortitude and resilience of Mansfield and its community as it looks to the future. Inspirational words will be engraved around the base and within the seating walls of the garden.

As part of a wider Mansfield District Council Urban Greening project in the town centre, another pocket park with a slide for youngsters is being created on the grassy slope on the corner of Walkden Street and Quaker Way.

Both green spaces have been designed to improve the air quality, water drainage and physical appearance of the town centre.

Smaller projects will see improved lighting under the road bridge on Stockwell Gate, planting on Quaker Way in front of the entrance ramp to the Four Seasons car park, and planters, street furniture and lighting on the concourse area of the old bus station. The work is expected to be complete by the end of November.

All these council projects have been paid for by £1 million of Towns Fund accelerated funding topped up by funds from Severn Trent to include Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) such as rain gardens and permeable paving to soak up rainwater.

Sarah Toman, head of Neighbourhood Services at the council, said: "We are pleased that work has now started on these pocket park schemes.

"Bringing more greenery into the town centre is an important part of improving the environment there and encouraging people to linger and enjoy spending time in Mansfield which then boosts the local economy."

In line with the council's procurement policy, which aims to offer contracts to local suppliers wherever possible, the contractor carrying out the work is Galliford Try, based in Annesley. It is employing 14 people on the project, most of them local to Mansfield.