Plans to turn use empty Mansfield shopping centre units as classrooms get the green light

The plans, put forward by West Nottinghamshire College, will see two empty shops in the Four Seasons Shopping Centre given a new life as classrooms.

In it’s application, the college said: “West Nottinghamshire College adult education department currently occupies a building on Chesterfield Road, Mansfield, but will need to vacate these premises while building work takes place of a new skill centre – the £8.8 million Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange – partly funded by the Towns Fund.

"This education provision will eventually move into the new Mansfield Connect – former Beales – building once development has been completed.

“For a period of two years our adult provision requires space to run and we have appointed the Four Seasons Centre to lease two units (E1 and 58) in order to allow teaching and learning to take place.

“Our temporary use of these premises will not involve any building work or modifications of any kind.

“We intend to use portable furniture (desks and chairs) only in unit 58 and desks, chairs and some temporary (accoustic) screening in unit E1.

“Our use of these buildings will bring increased adult footfall to the shopping centre. Our educational courses include a very wide range of both practical (craft) type subjects such as card skills, sewing and floristry skills to subjects such as sign language, maths and English and ESOL.”

In approving the application, officers at Mansfield Council said the scheme was permitted development and further planning permission was not required.