Newark Towns Fund projects, including Air and Space Institute and YMCA Activity Village, on track to deliver more jobs and education opportunities

Over 100 new jobs have been created in Newark as a result of Towns Fund projects, which have also seen thousands of students and learners in new education opportunities.

It has also seen an increase in footfall in the town centre, as well as redevelopment and heritage projects get underway.

An update on the Newark Towns Fund project was shared with members of Newark and Sherwood District Council’s Policy and Performance Improvement Committee on Monday, November 25.

It revealed that many of the projects included in the £25million grant scheme had surpassed targets, or were well on their way to achieving them.

The YMCA Community and Activity Village, which received £2m in towns fund money and £11m in match funding, has already created 157 full-time equivalent jobs, exceeding its obligation to create 136 by 2024-25.

It has also welcomed 1,273 learners, 38 scholarships, and well exceeded its goal of 57,400 annual visits — with 208,000 in 2023-24, and 158,238 so far in 2024-25.

However, it is below target for apprentices, having only 15 of the expected 38.

Newark Construction College, which benefited from a £389,000 accelerated towns fund grant and £133,100 match funding, is well on its way to most of its targets, and has exceeded its expected numbers of bricklaying students.

By 2026-27 it is required to have 142 plumbing students, 48 bricklaying students, 24 gas testing students, and 12 completed joinery degrees.

It currently has 133 plumbing students, 90 bricklaying students, and six gas testing students, while the joinery degree is currently going through the validation process with Hull University.

The Air and Space Institute, which received £10.6m in Towns Fund money and £5m in match funding, has so far welcomed 1,060 learners of its 2,570 required by 2038-39.

It has also created 24 of 38 required jobs, and now has cohorts working towards the over 2,000 qualifications it is set to deliver.

Aside from education, work is also well underway on the 32 Stodman Street development, and Castle Gatehouse project.

The Newark Cultural Heart project has already seen up to 91% increases in footfall on event days, often with more than 1,000 extra visitors, and work to transform the marketplace is set to go through design phases imminently.