Coalville Nub News is two months old and thanks to everyone who has supported us so far.

To mark the occasion we decided to put together an article on all that is good about the town, in particular, the Council's Regeneration Scheme which is changing the face of the town.

We wanted to find out what has happened in the five years since it was introduced, and what is planned. Here's a look at what lies ahead for Coalville.

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Coalville is a changing town - thanks to its Regeneration Scheme that plans a huge transformation over the next few years.

We teamed up with North West Leicestershire District Council to find out what the future holds for Coalville - and the people who live there.

This is our look how the town will be re-invented and what regeneration means.

The council says that town centres are changing and the way people spend their leisure time is different now.

North West Leicestershire District Council explained: "A varied town centre is crucial to drawing people in.

"We want Coalville to grow with this change and be a place where people want to live and spend their leisure time, and where businesses thrive and invest."

  

KEY OBJECTIVES FOR COALVILLE TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS....

• Seek external funding, including the new national Future High Streets Fund to support town centre regeneration

• Work with partners to make the most of our heritage to bolster the town's identity and sense of place

• Seek a cinema operator for Coalville

• Support the redevelopment of key housing sites in Coalville

• Start the redesign of Marlborough Square and establish a new outdoor market

• Work with the Belvoir Shopping Centre to make it a more attractive destination and reduce the number of vacant shops

• Ensure that links to the new leisure centre are maximised

 

The Council believes people are beginning to see the changes and improvements in Coalville and are positive about the idea of regeneration in the town.

But it is clear that there is certainly an understanding that regeneration will not happen overnight, however people are keen now to see some of the bigger projects come to fruition.

 

The Council added: "It is time for us to start delivering on these, starting with Newmarket, our bid for Future High Streets funding and our work with the new owners of the Belvoir Shopping Centre."

 

 

HOW THE COMMUNITY HAS BENEFITTED SO FAR FROM THE REGENERATION SCHEME

 

• Sponsoring a local charity to bring the Coalville Colour Run to town

• Annual Coalville Spring Clean in April each year

• Frontage grants given to businesses (seen next question)

• Free after 3pm parking introduced

• Development of the former Pick and Shovel pub

• Development of the former Midland bus depot

• Development of the former police station site – affordable housing

• Three years of sponsorship for the Century Theatre to bring the ballet to town – this event is now self-funding so no longer requires sponsorship

• Support for new community groups – the Friends of Coalville Park and the Coalville Community Action Group

• Funding provided to Leicestershire County Council to support improvements to Ashby Road

• Creation of Choose Coalville website and social media channels, plus free promotion of events in the town

 

 

The Council adds that, so far, over £450,000 has been given to 38 businesses in the North West Leicestershire through three different district council grant schemes.

Much of this (£280,000) has been for business owners on Hotel Street and High Street to improve the look and feel of their frontages.

A key part of the conservation area, many businesses in the designated zones have benefited from the scheme. 

Martin & Co estate agents on High Street was the first property to have a complete facelift. Here are some other good looking premises around the town, which have been helped by Council grants:

• Desirable Car (former bus depot), Ashby Road 

• Emporium nightclub, Marlborough Square·         

• 16-18 Hotel Street

       

• Bitter and Twisted Micro Pub, High Street

• La Torre, High Street

• Strandz, Belvoir Road

• Swanswell, High Street

• Elite Gaming Lounge (when it was Geoff's Toys), High Street 

• Kat's Antiques, High Street

• Constitutional Club, Hotel Street

• Newton Fallowell, Belvoir Road

The Council is currently processing 10 new grant applications from businesses on High Street, Hotel Street and Marlborough Square.

NEW £23MILLION LEISURE CENTRE FOR COALVILLE

Work will start on the new leisure centre this month, with the build taking around 18 months.

The Council's Planning Committee approved the application to build the £23million facility on land off Stephenson Way last October.

In a partnership between NWLDC and Everyone Active, the leisure operator will build and operate the new leisure centre, with the council owning the building.

Described as a 'parkland destination centre', the new Coalville Leisure Centre will reflect its woodland setting in the National Forest, with impressive wooden beams swooping down over the pool area and a large glass front playing host to the reception area and café. A trim trail, natural play spaces and a cycle track will be featured in the grounds around the centre.

There will be LED lighting throughout, air source heat pumps, electric car charging points and photovoltaic panels on the roof that will harvest energy from daylight, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the building.

Inside the building, the gym will have views across the parkland surrounding the centre, with the range of other facilities including three squash courts, clip and climb, spin studio, an eight court sports hall, an eight lane swimming pool and a learner pool.

NWLDC's Head of Community Services Paul Sanders said: "This project represents an impressive £23 million investment into the district's leisure facilities and presents an unrivalled opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of our current and future residents.

"The new centre and parkland will open for all and will be fully accessible, with a particular focus on activities that reduce inactivity amongst children and young people, older people and also people with disabilities.

"It is a scheme that we, as a design team, are immensely proud of. The proposals are fully costed, deliverable and achievable."

Dan Hicks, Area Contract Manager at Everyone Active, said: "It's brilliant news that we can start work to bring this fantastic facility to life.

"The new leisure centre will be a great addition to the local community and will offer an amazing variety of ways for people to get active. We're proud to be delivering improved leisure facilities to North West Leicestershire in partnership with the council."

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council, said: "Coalville regeneration has been a priority for this council since 2015 and forms a crucial part of our plans for the coming years.

"We've achieved a lot so far and still have a lot to do.

"Busnesses have received £280,000 to improve their shop fronts, derelict buildings like the former Pick and Shovel pub and the old police station have been replaced with modern, high quality buildings, and new, exciting events have come to the town like the Coalville Colour Run and the ballet that now returns every year.

"It's now time to start working on bigger projects and we're delighted work is starting on Newmarket and the £23m leisure centre. We're committed to the redesign of Marlborough Square and bringing a cinema to Coalville remains a key objective."