Gating to prevent anti-social behaviour is installed thanks to Safer Streets project

The site had been subject to drug use, urinating, and graffiti, leaving residents and workers in the area feeling unsafe.

But now, new security gates have been installed to prevent vehicle access - thanks to a huge cash injection from the Safer Streets fund. 

This is the third time Newark has benefitted from Safer Streets funding and over £1 million has been invested towards a safer Newark and Sherwood from the scheme to date.

The St Marks Place gating project is one of a number of plans that will be funded in Newark – from better street lighting to door entry systems - to prevent drug use and anti-social behaviour and make residents feel safer.

The project will also fund training for staff at licensed venues to help keep women and girls safe at night, and to support the Shopwatch and Pubwatch schemes with a data sharing app. 

The funding for Newark comes as part of a £3m windfall secured by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Nottinghamshire for projects across the county.

Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “The funding for Newark will be targeted at projects that will make a real difference to people’s lives.

“It is helping shopkeepers protect their businesses and make shoppers feel safer. It will keep the streets lighter at night in areas where people previously felt uneasy after dark. And it will help residents feel safer in their homes by keeping their spaces secure.

“Making people safe and, importantly, helping them to feel safe is what the Safer Streets fund is all about and I’m really happy we have been able to bring such a huge amount of funding to Nottinghamshire. We will now be working closely with our local partners to make sure we maximise every penny on behalf of the public to help achieve our ambition to Make Notts Safe.”

The Home Office’s Safer Streets fund is aimed at projects to tackle neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour and prevent violence against women and girls.

In total, the OPCC was successful with four £750,000 bids, after working in partnership with Community Safety Partnerships across Nottinghamshire, as well as Newark and Sherwood District Council and Nottinghamshire Police.

Newark and Sherwood and Bassetlaw District Councils will share one of those £750,000 pots for safety projects in their areas.

Councillor Roger Jackson, Portfolio Holder for Cleaner, Safer, Greener at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “I’m thrilled to see this funding once again being invested in making our community safer.

“The feedback we received from residents and local businesses, following the previous projects, was extremely positive, and proved the scheme can make a real difference in the feeling of safety and security. This new gating is just the beginning of many more investments.

“We are always working towards a cleaner, safer and greener Newark and Sherwood and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve, with our partners, over the course of the project.”

Newark became the first area in Nottinghamshire to receive money from the fund in July 2020, when £550,000 was brought to the town to pay for measures including street lighting, automatic number plate recognition cameras and extra policing patrols.

A spokesperson for Berkley Estates Limited said: “It is great to see the gating installed, and we are pleased to be able to work with Newark and Sherwood District Council and its Safer Street partners to enhance the security and safety of the community in the area.”

For more information about the Safer Streets fund, visit Safer Streets.