The multi-million pound redevelopment of Nottingham's railway station, the Nottingham Hub project, has been given the go ahead.

Transport Minister, Norman Baker, said: "For many visitors and travellers, stations are the first experience they have of a place. A modern railway station with excellent customer facilities can speak volumes about a town or city. They are important gateways. The plans for Nottingham’s station are very exciting. Not only will passengers have a more pleasant experience using the station, the redevelopment will enhance transport interchange and accessibility and kick start wider regeneration in the surrounding area, bringing a welcome boost to the local economy."

Three of the key partners involved in the redevelopment - Network Rail, East Midlands Trains and Nottingham City Council will now appoint contractors for the first stages of the redevelopment – the construction of a new multi-storey car park and associated highway improvement works on Queen’s Road. Public realm works on Station Street were completed earlier in the year and a new cycle storage facility opened in July. It is anticipated that works on the Porte Cochere (the main station entrance and existing drop off and taxi waiting area), will start in July 2012. The entire scheme is anticipated to cost in excess of £60m and should be completed by late 2014.

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John Watson (Chair of the Hub Project Board), said: "This is fantastic news and I’m delighted that all parties have found a way to take this project forward, despite concerns about local funding. Along with the extended tram network and the widening of the A453, the redevelopment of the railway station is considered by the business community as key to the future success of Nottingham’s economy.

"It will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the Southside of the city and create many new job opportunities. With the proposals for the extended tram network, the station will become a state of the art public transport interchange and gateway to Nottingham."

The project will also have a catalytic effect on a number of the other development sites adjacent to the station, and it has been projected that approximately 23,000m2 of office development and 1,400m2 of retail will be realised by 2020 creating over 1200 new jobs.

(CD/GK)