Shirebrook residents and workers are being urged to look at the options for additional growth in Shirebrook and to provide further feedback on how we can improve Shirebrook’s town centre, green spaces and countryside.

The latest step of the preparation of the Shirebrook Growth Plan starts today and people that live and work in Shirebrook are able to see what the potential options for additional growth in Shirebrook could look like and what types of development this growth could include.

This consultation follows the two earlier stages of public consultation that explored what people thought about what it is like living and working in Shirebrook and the innovative and nationally commended masterplanning game approach to exploring what types of development the public thought should be included in any future growth in the town.

Council Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley, said: “We want to see the District and our communities prosper and benefit from the opportunities of additional growth, such as new and better paid jobs, more aspirational and affordable housing opportunities, and a greener and more attractive local environment.

“Our Draft Shirebrook Growth Plan has been prepared drawing upon all of the valuable feedback we’ve already received, and now sets out several exciting options for how we can make Shirebrook a better place to live and work. We already have begun to improve our town centre and Market Place, one of the largest in the country, and we want to do more and make Shirebrook greener and better connected.

“So I’d encourage anyone that wants to see Shirebrook improve to have a look at the options we are setting out and tell us what you think, so that our final Shirebrook Growth Plan can best reflect the aspirations of our local community.”

The Consultation Exercise on the Draft Shirebrook Growth Plan runs from Monday 4 March to Friday 5 April 2024 and responses should be made through the PlaceBuilder masterplanning tool where possible. A public drop-in session will be held on Monday 18 March at Shirebrook Leisure Centre between 4pm and 7pm and Council officers will also be available at Shirebrook Contact Centre between 10am and 4pm on Tuesdays in March.

Interested parties can find more information on our dedicated Shirebrook Growth Plan webpage and find the draft Shirebrook Growth Plan on our public consultation website.

We will take into account comments received and aim to adopt a final growth plan by September 2024 that will be adopted as a material consideration in the planning processes and so guide where growth will be acceptable in principle to the Council.

We are investing in new styles of consultation by using grants from the Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities’ PropTech Innovation Fund. This Fund is aimed at supporting the widespread adoption of digital citizen engagement tools and services within the planning process and we have been selected as one of the national pilot areas.

More information is available by contacting the Planning Policy team on 01246 242203.