Invest in Ashfield

Businesses come to Ashfield because we have access to a skilled workforce of 78,000 people and a further 1 million plus people within an hour’s drive (NOMIS data, 2021).

Skilled Graduates

There is also a cluster of higher education institutions with 7 universities nearby producing world-leading research and 39,020 skilled graduates each year (HESA data, 2019 to 2020). In addition to the skilled graduates the area produces, Ashfield has a fast-growing young population with 5365 aged between 16 to 25 (NOMIS data, 2019).

Strategic Transport Links

Large companies are attracted to Ashfield because of the close location to strategic transport links, combined with a competitive labour market. Businesses in Ashfield are situated at the heart of the motorway, with easy access to and from the M1, A1(M), and A38. With 87% of the UK population reachable within 4 hours' drive time; that’s millions of customers, suppliers, and connections right on your doorstep.

Future Investment Plans

The centrepiece of future investment plans is a new Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre, which will become a national centre of excellence. It will focus on promoting and providing access to the latest technologies and best practice in automated distribution and help businesses to become more competitive on the global stage.

£100m + will be invested over the next 5 years on projects in Ashfield such as:

• New Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre
• New Robotics Centre
• New Construction and Civil Engineering Education Centre
• New Library Innovation Centres
• New Science Discovery Centre and Planetarium
• New water sports leisure facility
• New transport infrastructures
• New health and sports hubs
• Multiple town centre transformation projects; including in Kirkby in Ashfield and Sutton in Ashfield

Find Out More

If you would like to know more about the support available from D2N2 Growth Hub, please complete the form below.