Plans for a new joint fire and police headquarters in Arnold have been given the green light by planners for Gedling Borough Council.
The council’s planning committee has agreed to plans for Nottinghamshire Police’s current Sherwood Lodge base to be transformed with a brand new building to include Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service on the same site.
The fire service will now leave their current headquarters
at Bestwood Lodge Drive in Arnold once the building work is completed.
The plans for the new headquarters include a new single
police control room in one location to replace the current split between
Sherwood Lodge and the Northern Control Centre and Mansfield police station.
The new building would form the fourth side of a quadrangle
on the current police site, where a prefab building is currently located. This
is expected to be removed in the coming weeks to make way for the creation of
the building site.
PICTURED: Sherwood Lodge
The new building will also include a dedicated training
centre, joint office space, a gym and a multi-purpose hall and canteen.
Existing offices will be refurbished as part of the agreed plans.
The plans were submitted six months ago to the council and
were heard yesterday (Wednesday, December 4) where they were recommended to be
approved.
PICTURED: An artists impression of the new joint headquarters
The planning committee agreed to the proposal, so long as a
number of conditions are adhered to. These include the building being completed
within three years and a new access road being put in place and plans to
protect local wildlife and the environment.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said: “This decision is positive news for both organisations as we can now move forward with this development that will deliver modern, more efficient headquarters on a shared location for these two emergency services.
“It makes practical and operational sense and I’m
confident that it will help to improve our blue light services and increase our
impact on public safety in the future.”
Nottinghamshire Chief Constable Craig Guildford added:
“Sherwood Lodge is an excellent geographic location in terms of both
services being able to respond to incidents across the county; ensuring that we
can get specialist resources where they are needed to protect the public whilst
also saving the public purse.
“A shared facility with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue
Service will enable effective joint response to major incidents and it will
also enhance our ability to work together, providing flexible facilities that
will serve the emergency services for many years to come.
Nottinghamshire’s Fire and Rescue Service Chief Fire
Officer, John Buckley, said: “The headquarters project is a strong
demonstration of the commitment to collaborate and actively work closely with
our police colleagues in Nottinghamshire. The move will bring positives to both
organisations as we continue to serve communities across the county.”
The police force headquarters lies within Nottinghamshire’s
greenbelt and is adjacent to a country park. As a consequence plans were
prepared that were sympathetic to the location ensuring that they met the very
special circumstances.
Committee members agreed the proposal would provide
significant benefits to the operation of the emergency services which in turn
will provide significant benefits to the wider community in terms of improved
public safety and operational efficiency.
One of the planning conditions is that bat and bird boxes
will be installed at appropriate locations within the site. Electric vehicles
charging points will also be installed on site.
The cost of the total project is forecast to be around £18.5
million.
It is anticipated the building should be completed towards
the end of 2021.
The candidates for Gedling have set out why people should vote for them, and what they would like to achieve if elected.
Labour’s Vernon Coaker has held the seat here since 1997 but it’s been a perennial target of the Conservatives, with an average Labour majority over the Conservatives of just 3,791 across the last six elections.
We’ve asked all the Gedling candidates standing why people should vote for them in this general election.
Vernon Coaker, Labour
PICTURED: Vernon Coaker
I am seeking your support in this General Election.
It has been a privilege to be Gedling’s MP, being a strong voice for local communities, working to improve Gedling and helping thousands of people.
Cruel Tory cuts have affected all our services including schools and the NHS and have inflicted unnecessary hardship on so many people.
I will always stand up for young people in education and jobs, elderly people (protecting the bus pass, TV licences and pensions), for families and the vulnerable.
The Tories have made a mess of Brexit, backing a deal that was bad for our country. There should now be a second ‘people’s vote’ with remain as an option.
We are at a crossroads and I choose the path of fairness and social justice and want to see a country proud of its history with a positive future outlook.
The fact is, the Tories can no longer be trusted. I am the true local choice for Gedling, your local champion.
Graham Hunt, Brexit Party
PICTURED: Brexit Party candidate Graham Hunt (IMAGE: Graham Hunt)
Gedling voted by 55.6 percent to ‘Leave’ in the 2016 Referendum, and after three and a half years we still haven’t left.
I aim to deliver a ‘clean’ Brexit, allowing the UK to become an independent sovereign nation, ‘free’ to make deals with the world, in charge of its fishing waters, security, saving £39 billion and investing our money as we see fit.
I would also campaign to: scrap HS2 and divert the money to infrastructure projects in the Midlands; cut student loan interest; promote small business opportunities in the Gedling area e.g. zero business rates for high-street retailers, offset by a small internet sales tax.
I would also: Ensure adequate supplies of housing to meet local demand; restore local youth services; I will fight to restore trust in our democracy which has been betrayed.
Finally, I am not a career politician but a local ‘average Joe’ who would be immensely proud to serve the people of Gedling and would give you my all.
Most of my working life was spent in human resources, mainly in the nuclear industry and the NHS.
I am standing in this election on three main grounds:
Providing environmentalist voters in Gedling with a credible environmentalist candidate. All of us are facing an immediate and direct crisis. Though I appreciate the increasing interest of other parties, I believe that only the Green Party has a comprehensive set of policies and strategies for dealing with every aspect of it.
Providing Gedling voters with a candidate who is totally committed to overthrowing the austerity culture. A society in which children go to school hungry, in which anyone is homeless and in which anyone is dependent on food banks, is an anathema to me.
Providing Remain-supporting voters in Gedling with a committed pro-Europe candidate.
As a confession, I am a lifelong supporter of Watford football club but I am also a frequent attender and sympathiser at Notts County.
Anita Prabhakar, Liberal Democrats
PICTURED: Anita Prabhakar, left,
I’m a qualified Solicitor working with a law firm in Nottingham. I have two Masters Degrees, one in constitutional law, and the other in corporate law.
Since moving to the East Midlands I have worked at Boots, as a trainee at Nottinghamshire police headquarters, in various management positions including consumer relations with Vodafone and at an immigration consultancy.
I have been active in politics for many years, having joined the Liberal Democrats in 2012.
I am a keen pro-European and will fight hard to stop Brexit, because I believe it will be bad for the economy, the presence of our country on the world stage and will deny us strong opportunities to tackle climate change along with our European partners.
Tom Randall, Conservative
PICTURED: Tom Randall is the new Conservative candidate for Gedling
Gedling made me who I am. I now want to use my skills to build a brighter future for everyone in our community.
I grew up in Arnold, went to Redhill School, then read law at Oxford.
I’ve worked as a solicitor, dealing with commercial clients; worked on an Olympic Games; and, currently, in a professional membership organisation often work with NHS doctors. This mix of public and private sector experience has given me an insight into a wide cross-section of British life and will enable me to be an effective MP from day one.
Like me, Gedling voted to leave the EU. I share the frustration that we haven’t yet left.
I am determined to get Brexit done so that we can get on with the priorities that matter to people, like protecting our green spaces, making sure that Nottinghamshire gets its share of an extra 20,000 police officers and investing in our schools and hospitals.
Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) on 2018/0894 in
respect to the use of the proposed building as a workshop and the retention of
the showroom in the existing building.
P S Marsden Ltd, Road No 8, Colwick, Nottinghamshire NG4 2JX
Ref. No: 2019/1104
Planning applications submitted this week
Single storey rear extension and demolition of existing
garage and outbuildings
11, New Vale Road, Colwick NG4 2EA
Ref. No: 2019/1086
GEDLING
Proposed single storey side extension and detached garage
41, Besecar Avenue, Gedling NG4 4DP
Ref. No: 2019/1092
LAMBLEY
Erection of boundary wall with brick pillar and fence
panels above to side and front of current hardstanding area to front of the
property. Maximum height of 3.1m to the front and part side reducing to a
maximum height of 2.45m to the side.
51 Main Street Lambley NG4 4PN
Ref. No: 2019/1034
RAVENSHEAD
Confirmation of compliance with Condition 1 –
Commencement of Development of Planning Permission 2016/1034
Removal of existing pitched roof to dwelling and flat
roof to garage. Construction of rear extension with new pitched roofs to
dwelling and garage.
118 Chapel Lane Ravenshead NG15 9DJ
Ref. No: 2019/1075
WOODTHORPE
Loft conversion with side dormer and side rooflight,
single storey rear extension, garage alteration and smooth white render to
existing and proposed walls.
The race is on to crown the borough’s community heroes after the Pride of Gedling Awards 2020 launched this week.
The awards, which celebrate the community heroes of Gedling borough, are being organised by Gedling Borough Council and will be supported by Keepmoat Homes.
This year Gedling Eye will again be one of the sponsors of the event at the civic centre in Arnold.
WINNERS: Last year’s Pride of Gedling 2019 winnersPICTURED: Florence Orchard had her name added to the list of Pride of Gedling Award Winners last year at the Civic Centre (PICTURE: Gedling Eye)
Shortlisted nominees across the six categories will be invited to the awards celebrations, that will be held at the civic centre on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
As well as the standard awards, there is also an overall
Pride of Gedling Award and Lifetime Achievement Award which both recognise two
individuals who have provided an outstanding contribution to the borough.
A young fighter representing a boxing club from Carlton has been crowned national champion for the third time.
14-year-old Sinead Willbye, who is a member of Phoenix ABC, boxed in the final of National Boys and Girls Club Championships recently in Bridlington against
Willbye had to see off Freya Littlemore, of Phoenix Fire, in Warrington, to secure the title.
Sinead started very fast in first round catching her much taller opponent with eye catching shots.
The second round followed same pattern as the first, with Sinead on the front foot throughout.
In the third Sinead caught her opponent with some really strong punches forcing the ref to issue two standing eight counts and stop the bout halfway through the third round.
Sinead is now the most successful female amateur boxer from Nottingham winning multiple national titles and four-time box cup gold medalist.
She now enters the international female box cup taking place in Guildford in December where boxers from around the world will take part in a two day tournament.
To top off a fantastic year for Sinead she finished runner up in Nottingham Sports Awards for best amateur sportsperson.
A woman tragically died in her Arnold home following an “accidental” blaze, the fire service has confirmed.
Assistant Coroner, Fiona Gingell, found that Ms Jayne Scott, 53, of 12 Merton Close, died accidentally of severe burns following a fire at her home July 1, 2019.
Ms Scott had been at home with family earlier on that day. Later that evening, after her family had left, around 8pm, a neighbour recalled hearing her fire alarm sounding and smoke coming from the upstairs bedroom window of 12 Merton Close.
Fire Crews from Arnold, Carlton and Stockhill were called to the address and found that the fire had self-extinguished by the time they arrived.
It is believed the fire started accidentally whilst using the gas hob. The court heard that the appliance was not subject to any recall notices or technical faults.
Fire crews from Arnold, Carlton and Stockhill were called to the address in Arnold
Fire Investigation officer and station manager Tom Clark, said, “It was a very unfortunate and tragic accident. I would like to express my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ms Scott.
“This raises an important issue and our advice is that if you’re using an appliance with a naked flame, please make sure that any nearby flammable items, including clothing, are kept well out of harm’s way.
“With the cold weather and the festive period approaching, please take the time to ensure that you and any family members, specifically the elderly or those that are vulnerable are safe.
“Any open flame can easily and quickly ignite any nearby combustible items, so it is essential that complete care is taken at all times, particularly as we start to enjoy the festive period”
A 38-year-old man has been jailed for four months for breaching a deportation order and possession of an offensive weapon.
Mujo Lamaj, an Albanian national residing in the Carlton area was detained on Saturday (November 30, 2019) and was detained by Operational Support officers following an intelligence operation to locate him.
He was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon and
immigration offences, following discovery of a baton in the vehicle he was
driving when arrested.
PICTURED: Mujo Lamaj (PHOTO: Notts Police)
He appeared on Monday (December 2) at Nottingham Magistrates’
Court and was sentenced.
Police Sergeant Tim Cuthbert said: “Lamaj is a
notorious and violent person linked to drug dealing, organised crime, and
violence.
“We are pleased with the result to remove him from our
streets and I’d like to thank the officers involved following some superb and
tenacious research.”
A man is due to appear in court charged in connection with a distraction burglary in Arnold.
Garry Hastings, 22, of no fixed address, was charged with burglary last night (Monday, December 2, 2019)
He is due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday, December 3, 2019).
The charge relates to a report of a distraction burglary at a home on Castleton Avenue on November 21, 2019.
It was reported that a man called at the victim’s home saying he was selling items to get some money.
PICTURED: Nottingham Magistrates’ Court
The suspect then asked the victim for a drink of water. He followed her into the house without being invited in.
He left after having a drink but the victim discovered that some cash had been taken from her purse.
Inspector Chris Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Burglary is a priority for Nottinghamshire Police, with dedicated burglary teams now focused on tackling and reducing burglary in the city and county.
PICTURED: Inspector Chris Pearson (IMAGE: Notts Police)
“We want to reassure the people of Nottinghamshire that we will continue to pursue those committing burglaries and remain committed to catching those responsible and bringing them to justice.”
Insp Pearson added: “Distraction burglars often prey on our most vulnerable residents, tricking their way into homes by making up stories, by pretending to work for an official company or asking for help to try to gain entry.
“We want to remind people to be on their guard, especially if someone you’re not expecting – a man, woman or even a child – knocks on your door.
“Don’t allow anyone without valid identification access to your home and, if you’re unsure, don’t let them in. Keep the chain on the door while talking to them and check with the company that the person is purporting to be from.
“Our advice is always to say no to cold-callers and to report any suspicious activity to police immediately.
“Residents, particularly the elderly and those who live alone, should remain vigilant and ensure that their home is secure at all times.
“We’d also urge those who know people who are potentially at risk, to advise them of the signs, remind them to not let in unexpected callers and what to do if they are targeted.”
This list contains only the roadworks considered to be most likely to cause delays on key routes as well as those involving road closures and temporary traffic lights.
The list is not exhaustive and does not feature some minor or emergency repairs that come up after publication. Other roadworks may finish or start before schedule or be cancelled altogether.
All information from Highways England, local authorities and utility companies.
