People living in an area with 'no takeaways or shops' have demanded investment as a 'posh side' of suburb develops. Residents in Colwick have said that the spate of developments on the Colwick Loop Road have created a 'posh side' of the suburb and have questioned why there are no shops or takeaways in their area.
The most residential area in the suburb centres around Vale Road in what is referred as 'Colwick Village'. Locals on Vale Road said they had not as yet benefitted from the huge new retailers and housing estates planned.
Tony Foreshaw, 62, who works in the Victoria Centre and lives on Vale Road in Colwick, said: "There's not a lot here. There's no space to build anything around here, there's a lot of investment on the Colwick Loop Road but not here. There's no banks or anything, but like I said there's not really space to put any retail places. We could do with some leisure facilities on this side of the city."
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Another Colwick resident, who lives on Balmoral Road and asked not to be named, said the new developments were forming a 'posh side', while Colwick Village needed more investment. "I don't shop at the new Sainsbury's or anywhere it is too expensive," He said.
"It is very industrial there are not many houses here. [Binning Stores Premier on Vale Road] is one of two shops here and there isn't a single takeaway - if there was it would make a fortune.
"There's nothing here really we could do with a lot more, nothing for the kids either. It 100 per cent needs more investment. Everything is on the Loop Road and not here, we call it the posh side over there."
Residents agreed that the area did not have a lot of amenities, with few shops serving the main housing area in Colwick. One shopkeeper also said the area could do with more local investment.
Harnik Binning, 46, who is the joint manager of the Binning Stores Premier on Vale Road, one of the only shops in area, said: "Everybody would like to see more investment here. To help people live well they need more where they live.
"In the pandemic I saw everyone come in here as it is one of the only shops and people were staying local and now footfall has changed. Lots of people try things and then close down but there is a lot being put there [Colwick Loop Road].
A huge new Sainsbury's store off the A612 Colwick Loop Road opened in November 2021. And a new Aldi food store is set to open this summer at Teal Park off the Colwick Loop Road, between Stoke Bardolph and Netherfield.
The £30 million trade park development on the same site will also feature four 1,000 sq ft retail units, a Children’s Day Nursery and a roadside plot.
Doug Schofield, 66, who has worked as a shop operative in Colwick for 30 years but lives in Cotsgrave, said: "It is good that along the Loop Road there are things being built and hopefully it will create more jobs. There's not a great deal going on here as it is more industrial and there's not a lot for people here. I would not want to live here. I think it might make a difference with how many people use the Loop Road on weekends."
A Colwick resident, who wished to remain anonymous, added: "I don't think its making a difference. The investment isn't bringing a lot to the people who already work here.
"This [Vale Road] is the main road of what is called 'Colwick Village' but there's nothing that you'd expect in a village. We don't even have a takeaway here, we have a corner shop and that's it, no butchers or post office or any other shops.
"It is a busy road [Colwick Loop Road] to cross and it is quite a walk. The bus that takes people to Morrisons is good but it could do with a cut through."
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said: "One of our key priorities is to create thriving and vibrant town centres, and working closely with local businesses across the borough is just one of the ways we’re doing that.
"We’re working to identify opportunities for improvements to Netherfield shopping area, our High Street Business Advisor has been engaging and offering support to retailers, and we’ve been highlighting independent businesses as part of our #RediscoverGedlingBorough campaign. This regeneration work in around Netherfield will not just benefit the town centre itself, but also surrounding areas such as Colwick and Carlton.
"Another priority for the council is to provide more homes by driving the delivery of key housing sites, such as those at the Teal Close and Rivendell developments. A new primary school has now been built to support this continued housing growth and plans have been approved for a new food store. There are also proposals for new shops, public house and day nursery, which will provide even more new facilities for local residents as well as the wider area."
