The City & County Update this week brought together Nottingham Partners members, businesses and stakeholders from across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire for a briefing on the key developments shaping the future of the area, held at Spotlight Bar & Restaurant at Motorpoint Arena Nottingham & National Ice Centre.
The event provided an opportunity to hear directly from civic and delivery leaders on the scale of ambition across both the city and county, and the long-term programmes now underway to drive growth, investment and regeneration.
We were pleased to welcome key speakers including Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council, Sajeeda Rose, Chief Executive, Wayne Bexton, Director of Economy, Environment and Assets at Nottinghamshire County Council, and Councillor James Walker-Gurley, Portfolio Holder for Economy, Development and Asset Management. Each provided insight into how long-term strategies are being translated into delivery, alongside the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of the area.
Megan Powell-Vreeswijk, CEO, Marketing Nottingham & Nottinghamshire said;
“We are delighted to bring partners together yesterday under a shared agenda for growth, investment and opportunity across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. This local authority collaboration demonstrates the strength of our unity of place and purpose, and our collective ambition to deliver lasting impact for residents, businesses and investors alike.”
As one of the UK’s twelve Core Cities, Nottingham continues to play a critical role in the economic performance of the East Midlands, supported by world-class universities, a growing innovation economy valued at over £11bn, and strong sectoral strengths in life sciences, healthcare, digital and creative industries, and clean energy.
Attendees heard how the City Council’s vision, “A renewed council, delivering for local people, leading Nottingham forward,” is now being delivered through a series of visible interventions and major regeneration schemes. This includes progress on the new NHS Community Diagnostic Centre, due for completion in spring 2027, alongside the planned demolition of the former NCP car park at the foot of Maid Marian Way. Long regarded as a prominent city centre eyesore, its removal will unlock a key site within the wider Broad Marsh regeneration programme. These projects form part of a wider commitment to create a greener, healthier, more inclusive and better-connected city, supported by strong regional partnerships including Homes England and the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
We also heard from Nottinghamshire County Council on its ambitious Development Programme 2026–2029, which is unlocking more than £210m of development opportunity across the county. The programme sets out 15 land and property opportunities spanning residential, mixed-use, employment and regeneration-led schemes located across urban centres, growth corridors and market towns. Central to this approach is the Council’s ambition to support stronger families, thriving communities and a more connected county, underpinned by a well-run and responsive organisation focused on delivery and partnership. Key priorities include economic growth, housing delivery, skills, connectivity and inward investment, alongside improved transport and digital infrastructure and stronger pathways into employment. The county’s offer is strengthened by its strategic location in the East Midlands, strong national connectivity via the M1 and A1 corridors, and emerging growth areas including Heartlands, Trent Arc and the Trent Super Cluster.
A key focus of the programme is how sites are brought forward to market, with two clear delivery routes being offered. The first is subject to contract and subject to planning, enabling early engagement with developers. The second is planning-led promotion through Arc Partnership, reducing risk and improving deliverability prior to disposal. Arc Partnership plays a central role as the Council’s in-house development and professional services partner, providing planning, design, estates and technical expertise to shape sites and bring them forward as investment-ready opportunities. This model offers developers and investors reduced planning uncertainty, clearer development parameters, and access to a long-term, structured pipeline of opportunity rather than one-off sites.
Across both the city and county, the discussions highlighted a shared commitment to partnership working, place-based investment and long-term regeneration. From large-scale housing delivery and employment land to city centre transformation and infrastructure investment, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire continue to demonstrate strong alignment with market priorities and investor appetite. The ambition is clear: to create places that deliver not only economic growth, but long-term social value, sustainability and improved outcomes for residents and businesses.
🔗 Find out more about Nottingham’s vision for the future: https://lnkd.in/e68cB2Aw
🔗 Explore Nottinghamshire’s land and development opportunities: https://lnkd.in/erHT-Kqp
Posted on 25 June 2026
