Empty shops on Nottingham's dire Lister Gate to be redeveloped into 'vital' £25m centre
Construction & Build
Nottingham City Council has approved plans to redevelop the former Claire’s Accessories, Mountain Warehouse and Holland and Barrett shops
Empty shops on a dilapidated Nottingham city centre street will be reused as part of a "vital" £25m health centre after NHS plans were approved. Nottingham City Council has approved plans to redevelop the former Claire’s Accessories, Mountain Warehouse and Holland and Barrett shops at the partially-demolished Broadmarsh Centre on Lister Gate into a Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC), which Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust will use to quickly test patients without them having to go to hospital.
The facility has been described as a "one-stop shop", providing direct access to diagnostics services such as MRI, CT, x-ray, ultrasound, echocardiography, ECG, and lung function testing. NHS bosses explained this would help reduce the backlog of patients waiting for diagnostic tests and support GPs in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
The empty units will be stripped back and the remaining concrete structure's roof and plant room will be refurbished. The CDC plans include space for two x-ray machines, three MRI and CT scanners (although only one of each will be available in the first phase of the project), an ultrasound machine, a room for taking blood, consultation rooms, and a coffee bar.
Paul Matthew, Chief Financial Officer at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “This is another important milestone in the journey to provide the people of Nottingham with diagnostic appointments more quickly and on their high street.
“This centre will be vital in reducing the number of people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire waiting too long for diagnostic tests so that they can then either have peace of mind or begin any treatment needed sooner. It will also enable patients to access these tests without needing to travel to a hospital.”
The new facility will hopefully help revive struggling Lister Gate, which has become tired and largely empty after a mass exodus of shops like Marks & Spencer Home, Boots, Shoe Zone, and WH Smith. The major brands left the city street after the closure of the Broadmarsh shopping centre in 2021, which Nottingham City Council is redeveloping.
Councillor David Mellen, leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “It is great news that the Community Diagnostic Centre has been given the go-ahead at the Broad Marsh regeneration site. It is especially important to see that the development will reuse part of the frame of the old shopping centre as, without this, it would have been difficult to find a suitable location elsewhere in the city centre
“This facility will give people access to vital health services right in the centre of Nottingham, near to the new bus station and car park and a short walk from the train station, in a state-of-the-art building surrounded by new people-friendly green streets and public spaces. It will help to bring people into the area, providing a boost for businesses and creating more jobs.
“This is another exciting development happening at Broad Marsh, alongside the recent opening of the new Central Library and Collin Street play area, plus work is underway on the new Green Heart city centre park.” The construction works will include removing the part of the old atrium roof which connects the building to the former Broadmarsh shopping centre.
Written by Joshua Hartley, Senior reporter at Nottingham Post