Location Confirmed

Location Confirmed for £100m Innovation Park and Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre in Ashfield.

Ashfield District Council has confirmed the location for the development of a new £100m Innovation Park which will include the construction of a national centre for automation excellence, the Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre (ADMC).

The site on Lowmoor Road, Sutton in Ashfield, opposite Sutton Parkway railway station is the proposed site for the development. The location was chosen due to its size, strategic location, transport links, proximity to Vision West Notts College technology campus and neighbouring industrial clusters in the area.

Ashfield District Council has agreed in principle to purchase the land from Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC). The development has the full support of NCC and it is selling the land to enable the development to proceed as a key part of the region’s Levelling Up agenda. This will help to bring high skilled job opportunities into areas where such opportunities have not always been available.

The whole site will be a £100m+ development attracting inward investment and create higher economic growth opportunities for the residents of Ashfield.

The £44m ADMC project represents a circa 3,500sqm purpose-built, multi-functional centre, with space allocated for Research and Development, Prototyping and Proof of Principle, Showcasing and Demonstration, and Skills and Training. There will also be opportunities for networking, Business to Business collaboration, and event hosting.

The initial £20m of funding was secured from Ashfield District Council’s Towns Fund Deal to build the ADMC, as a part of its investment to create a nationally and internationally recognised centre, mirroring the UK’s existing Catapult Centres. It will encompass technical experts, engineers and researchers who will be able to assist businesses of any size from across the East Midlands and further afield to understand and adopt automation technologies and to train their staff up into these higher skilled jobs.

The ADMC is ideally located in Ashfield because of its central location in Nottinghamshire and the country, great transport links and strong manufacturing and distribution base. The site is well placed to support distribution companies in the region and the new Free Port coming to East Midlands Airport. Market engagement has shown significant potential for benefits to local businesses. The location is close to the A38 and M1 and near major cities.

The development of the Innovation Park and associated ADMC will play a key role in bringing economic growth and new investment opportunities that will benefit businesses and residents of Ashfield and create higher paid jobs and education and learning opportunities. These developments are part of a broad range of regeneration projects that are changing the face of the local area. These projects are central to achieving Ashfield District Council’s ambition of making Ashfield a great place to live, work, do business, learn, and visit.

The construction of ADMC is due to start in 2024. The team leading the project are looking for businesses interested in automation and from the sector to come forward and help to shape the final features of the centre so that they can maximise their opportunities from it.

Should you want to know more about the centre, please contact:

• Andy Dean, Project Manager, 07920 563820, andy.dean@ashfield.gov.uk
• Mike Carr, 07342066873.