Hawtonville site transformed

Waste ground next to Hawtonville Community Centre, Newark, has been transformed in a project costing almost £40,000.

After calls for improvements from local residents, Newark and Sherwood District Council led the transformation project.

Old fencing, graffiti boards and walls were removed and the area was resurfaced.

Lighting bollards and newly-planted trees were then added.

The work was completed within three weeks.

Money came from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Supporting Local Communities scheme (£30,000); Newark and Sherwood Homes (£5,000); and the district council (£2,000) in partnership with the regeneration charity Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield and Mansfield, and contractors NT Killingley.

District council chairman Mr Tony Roberts opened the new space, with the four new house captains from William Gladstone Church of England Primary Academy School.

Mr Roberts said: “What has been achieved here is excellent, a major improvement on what was here before.

“We would like to thank Nottinghamshire County Council, Newark and Sherwood Homes, Groundwork and NT Killingley, who worked so quickly to transform this piece of land.”