New Carlton Active centre moves closer as planning application reaches key milestone

A major new leisure and wellbeing centre for Carlton has moved a step closer after plans for the ambitious Carlton Active project were officially validated.

Gedling Borough Council has confirmed the planning application for the new leisure, health and wellbeing hub is now progressing through the planning process following years of design work and public consultation.

The council say around 750 residents, community groups and stakeholders helped shape the proposals through surveys, workshops and engagement events before the application was submitted.

The new facility is designed to serve future generations while helping the council meet its environmental targets. Plans include air source heat pumps, solar panels, biodiversity improvements, better links for walkers and cyclists, and sustainable drainage features.

The project has also completed a key stage of the design process and is now moving into the next phase of technical design ahead of construction.

Meanwhile, preparatory work continues at the former Richard Herrod Centre site ahead of planned demolition works. The site forms part of the council's wider Leisure Transformation Programme and is being prepared for future redevelopment, subject to approvals later this year.

The council stressed it remains committed to keeping Carlton Forum Leisure Centre open while the new project develops. Regular inspections and maintenance work are continuing at the ageing facility, with the authority working alongside Nottinghamshire County Council and specialist contractors to ensure it remains safe and operational.

A Gedling Borough Council spokesperson said: "Carlton Active represents a major investment in the future health, wellbeing and leisure provision of our borough.

"Reaching this stage of the project is an important achievement, and we would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation and shared their views.

"The feedback we received has helped shape the proposals, and we remain committed to creating a modern, sustainable facility that will benefit residents for many years to come."

‘Disappointment’ as review reveals legal challenge to Nottingham expansion 'likely to fail'

A last-ditch attempt to challenge the expansion of Nottingham’s boundary is likely to fail, according to new legal advice.

Nottinghamshire is heading for its largest boundary shake-up in 50 years, after the government confirmed how the county’s nine councils would be reorganised.

The government is pushing forward with its local government reorganisation (LGR) programme across England, and by 2028, sections of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe will become part of an enlarged Nottingham city area to form a new unitary authority.

A second unitary authority will cover the rest of the county, meaning the current county area’s existing two-tier structure will cease to exist.

The government’s LGR plans have been shrouded in debate and criticism since their announcement in December 2024, with some council leaders voicing concerns about the potential impact on services and local representation.

Some have argued that the government has gone against its own criteria, which originally included that existing districts and boroughs not be split up and that new councils have a minimum population of 500,000. Some believe the public consultation on the shake-up has not been taken into account.

Rushcliffe Borough Council, in a joint effort with Broxtowe Borough Council, decided to see if judicial review of LGR was viable. A lawyer was subsequently appointed to assess whether the grounds for such review had the “potential to succeed”.

Judicial reviews involve a judge reviewing the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public body, but they can only be launched to challenge the way a decision was made, rather than the rights and wrongs of that decision.

But in a document seen on Monday (August 10), that senior lawyer has concluded an application for judicial review is more likely to fail than win.

The document concludes that there was nothing to suggest the government had materially changed its LGR criteria; that the government’s decision had taken into account boundary changes, finances, service delivery, and consultation responses; that the consultation was legally sufficient; and that there are no viable grounds for a judicial review.

The LDRS approached the leaders of Rushcliffe Borough Council and Broxtowe Borough Council and asked them to confirm whether they had read the lawyer’s opinion document and their reaction to the conclusion.

Councillor Neil Clarke (Con), leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, said his authority is “considering what to do next”.

He said: “We’ve still got to have a conversation with Broxtowe about it, and we’ve still got to have a conversation within Rushcliffe Borough Council about where we proceed. It would be interesting to know what the MP’s view of it is as well.

“We’re still considering what the best course of action is… It’s still a work in progress.”

Broxtowe Borough Council leader, Milan Radulovic (Brox Alliance), said he was “disappointed” with the lawyer’s outcome.

He said: “I accept the judgment as read by a King’s Counsel – if they consider it unlikely to succeed, it’s almost certain we won’t continue.

“The point of judicial review is it doesn’t look at a decision, it looks at the process, what the King’s Counsel’s confirmation is, is that the government is quite right in what it says.”

On the report’s conclusions, Cllr Radulovic said it meant consultations on local government topics are “a complete and utter waste of time”.

He said he believes the consultation on LGR in Nottinghamshire was set after the government had made its decision on how Nottinghamshire authorities would merge and change.

He added: “[The conclusion] didn’t surprise me, it disappointed me. It demonstrates we’re no longer living in a democracy.

“The consultation was overwhelmingly against [the LGR options].

“I will talk to my colleagues and give them my advice and we will take a decision accordingly. In my general opinion, go with what the King’s Counsel is saying.”

Elections for the two new unitary authorities – called ‘shadow’ elections – will take place in May 2027, creating two shadow authorities ahead of the new councils being formally established in April 2028.

By Lauren Monaghan (Local Democracy Reporter)

🧩 Sudoku

Test your logic skills! Fill every row, column and 3×3 box with the numbers 1-9 without repeating any number (Solution at the bottom of the newsletter) .

💬 What you're talking about...

OPINION: "Sticking plaster solutions won't keep our leisure centres open - we need a new one"

Jason Ritchie: Should GBC, who knew about the upcoming LGR, have been allowed to make such a decision on a such a grand project given that it will basically be out of their control before it’s even finished? Approximately £30 million of funding was secured by GBC towards the new project, the majority being through some kinds of loans. Have the City said that they will honour these loans ? Are they committed to seeing this project through to completion? Is there some sort of ruling that says the City must complete GBC projects? Given the City’s financial track record, are they able to carry such loans ? Will this become the next ‘Broad Marsh’ ?

Mark Brinley: The proposed new design is awful. Most think it looks like a mosque . Let's put the design out there as something fit for 2050 not 1950.

Bazil Thebikeman: No explanation why they are building a new one to hand to the new city council instead fixing the one that will remain in Gedling. How are the future savings benefiting any ratepayers in Gedling if it’s in the city? Has LGR totally passed Cllr Henry Wheeler by?  The city aren’t paying for this!

🚧 Roadworks

Mansfield Road, Arnold
11-17 August

Mansfield Road, Redhill
11-17 August

Breck Hill Road, Woodthorpe
11-13 August

Papplewick Lane, Papplewick
12-13 August

Ploughman Avenue, Woodborough
12-14 AugustSurface Dressing & Rural Route Works

Mansfield Road, Papplewick
11-17 August

Mansfield Road, Ravenshead
11-17 August

Nottingham Road, Ravenshead
11-17 August

Burntstump Hill (Arnold / Calverton / Papplewick section)
11-14 August

Chapel Lane, Ravenshead
11-12 August

Church Drive, Ravenshead
11-12 August

Sheepwalk Lane, Ravenshead
11-12 August

Daleside Road East, Colwick
11-12 August

📸 Photo of the Day...

🌤️ Weather update

Your borough weather forecast for the next few days...

TODAY: 🌤️ Dry with lots of strong sunshine, temperatures rising rapidly during the morning. High level cloud will make the skies a little hazy at times. Feeling hot, locally very hot. Tonight, plenty of evening sunshine and then dry overnight with prolonged clear periods and variable cloud. Staying warm with light winds.

THURSDAY: ☀️ Temperatures rising quickly under strong sunshine. Feeling hot or locally very hot. As a result, an amber extreme heat warning has been issued.

💊 Late Night Pharmacies

ASDA Pharmacy Arnold
111-127 Front Street, Arnold, NG5 7ED
Open until 9pm Monday to Saturday

Medina Chemist (closest late-opening option)
89 Victoria Road, Netherfield, NG4 2NN
Open until 9pm Monday to Saturday

Solution to today's Sudoku