Town centre school set to be demolished and rebuilt
Plus: Masked robbers target beauty salon
Good morning and welcome to your Thursday briefing from Ashfield News. In today’s newsletter, plans have been submitted to demolish and re-build a town centre school, architects are appointed to a £14m scheme and much more.
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Town centre school set to be demolished and rebuilt
A town centre secondary school could be demolished and a new purpose-built venue built in its place.
New plans submitted for the Outwood Academy in Tennyson Street, Kirkby, show the new centre would measure more than 7,700sq m and include classrooms, dining space and a sports hall.
Documents submitted to Ashfield District Council state the buildings on the current site have “reached the end of their expected life”.
The re-development of the school is now being brought forward through the Department of Education’s School Rebuilding Programme.
The new school will be based over three storeys and due to having a smaller footprint compared to the current buildings, there will be additional external space for sports pitches.
The plans also create space for staff car parks and a sports court. The outdoor sports provision could also be made available for community use, the documents show.
They add: “The landscape masterplan goes beyond functionality, aiming to create a legacy for the school.
“It incorporates natural habitats, outdoor learning spaces, and thoughtfully placed amenities, such as the relocated table tennis facilities, to encourage students to connect with the environment and each other.”
A decision is due on the plans by December 26.
Masked robbers sought after beauty salon incident
Police are searching for two masked robbers who entered a beauty salon and demanded cash.
The pair also snatched a customer’s handbag - containing a mobile phone and AirPods - before fleeing on Tuesday, October 1.
The incident happened at Ayelashes in Victoria Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, at 6.05pm.
Nobody was hurt in the incident, Nottinghamshire Police added, and investigations are taking place to track down those responsible.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Dumbrell said: “This was a distressing incident for the customer and staff member and we are determined to identify the people responsible.
"To this end I encourage any witnesses to please come forward immediately.
“We are particularly keen to hear from any drivers with dashcam footage in the area around the time of the incident.”
Anyone with information is asked to call us on 101 quoting incident 498 of 1 October 2024.
Next step for £14m town transformation
Architects are set to be appointed to oversee a £14m transformation of a Nottinghamshire town.
The North Kirkby Gateway scheme, based around Low Moor Road in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, will include new homes in the town centre and commercial buildings.
It will also allow the extension of the Portland Pathways project, a skills and employability initiative for people with learning difficulties and disabilities, into Kirkby.
Ashfield District Council has now agreed to enter into a contract with Pick Everard and Lungfish Architects to undertake feasibility assessments alongside designs for the development sites.
A council spokesperson said: “The North Kirkby Gateway project is supported by Towns Fund which expires on the 31 March 2026.
“Due to the complexities of site assembly the project is behind schedule and so time is very much of the essence to progress the design/feasibility work.”
The main site of the development is expected to be acquired this month.
Man dies in crash on busy road
A motorcyclist died in a crash which closed a busy Nottinghamshire road.
The emergency services were called to the A60 in Ravenshead just after midnight on Monday, September 30.
The incident involved a blue motorbike and a dark blue/black BMW car, police said.
In a statement, Nottinghamshire Police confirmed the motorcyclist, a man in his 30s, died at the scene.
The road was closed for much of the morning between the Larch Farm crossroads and the Newstead Abbey turn.
Detective Constable Emma Temple, of Nottinghamshire Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said: “This is a tragic incident and we are currently working to understand the full circumstances.
“As part of our ongoing inquiries we are urging any motorists who were in the area around the time of the crash to contact us with any information that they think could help our investigation.”
Hospital introduces Martha’s Rule
A Nottinghamshire hospital has become one of the first in the country to introduce Martha’s Rule.
The initiative provides parents and patients with easy access to an urgent review if their condition worsens and they feel it is not being responded to quickly enough by staff.
King’s Mill Hospital, based in Sutton-in-Ashfield, is one of 143 sites chosen to implement the rule.
It will apply to all in-patients in all areas of the hospital, including maternity, paediatrics and the emergency department.