YMCA Community and Activity Village, on Lord Hawke Way, submitted as part of Newark's Towns Fund bid to government

A state-of-the-art community and activity village, offering a range of educational, arts, sporting, healthcare and employment opportunities, has been submitted as one of several projects identified that could benefit from multi-million pound government funding.

The YMCA Community and Activity Village, on Lord Hawke Way, forms part of Newark Towns Fund Board’s application for Towns Fund money.

An athletics track, multiple games areas for basketball, tennis and netball, as well as two 3G pitches, have already been completed at the site.

With additional funding, sports and leisure facilities, PC labs, music and art spaces, conferencing and function facilities, childcare and a wellbeing and health delivery service suite would be provided as part of the next phase of the scheme.

Craig Berens, chief executive at YMCA, said: “Newark has been under-invested in terms of leisure and sport and the extra plans for the Community and Activity Village would provide a place for the whole family, helping them to reach their full potential.

“The Village would provide a sustainable solution with a focus on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility.

“It would act as the Newark hub for sports, leisure, culture and arts, while also opening up several job opportunities.”

A cycle track, Olympic-standard climbing centre, skate park and boathouse would also be installed as part of the next phase.

Around 200 jobs would be created, while an expected 2,000 learning awards would be achieved annually through the services and programmes on offer.

Nearly 2,000sq metres of high-quality and affordable commercial workspaces will provide flexible working environments, catering to a high learning, digital environment.

Canoeing, a skatepark, cycle track, climbing centre, dance studio, recording studio and rehearsal space, digital media suites, art studio would also be provided in the future as would integrated NHS services, college courses and apprenticeships, nursery, sensory room, training kitchen, community cafe, further education, volunteering, adult education and youth-led community projects.

Childcare and youth and family programmes are already provided.

The YMCA Community and Activity Village is a transformational not-for-profit project designed to empower young people and families in Newark and Sherwood.

The scheme is described as being of national importance and one of a kind because it will provide education, recreation, professional sport, health and family-based services integrated into a community space.