‘Nationally renowned’ experts to help decide future of Broadmarsh shopping centre site

A team of specialists is to help Nottingham City Council decide on the the future of the former intu Broadmarsh shopping centre site.

The future of the centre is set to be decided at the city council’s executive board meeting next Tuesday (October 20).

The council looks set to award a contract to make safe and mothball the site to Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the firm which was originally tasked with redeveloping the sprawling shopping mall before intu went into administration over the summer.

A council document reads: “The award of the contract to SRM is considered to deliver the best value for money as the presence on site means that savings can be made on any prelim costs for a contractor to set up on site. In addition the extensive knowledge and understanding that SRM have of the site due to their previous engagement in the redevelopment works under their contract with the intu developer means that the Council will not incur costs of a new contractor establishing knowledge of the site, including survey costs, etc.”

The council will eventually demolish what is left of the former shopping centre and has secured almost £8m from the D2N2 LEP to carry out these works.

A special board is to be set to to support master planning and future development on the site, the council has revealed.

Under the banner of the Broadmarsh Big Conversation, the panel of advisers will help the council in considering planning and development options.

The document adds: “The panel will include nationally renowned experts in major city development as well as local champions. It is expected that the panel will be initially set up on a ‘pro bono’ basis but which may in time require some elements to be established on a commercial footing.”