A number of key announcements impacting Rushcliffe and the East Midlands have been announced before and during the Comprehensive Spending Review, with further announcements expected over the next few months as the Industrial and Infrastructure Strategies are released and spending decisions are finalised.
Known benefits for Rushcliffe and the East Midlands include:
Transport and infrastructure
- A £2 billion capital allocation for transport investment in the East Midlands Combined County Authority, part of a wider £15.6 billion package for city regions in England to support delivery of long-overdue road, rail and public transport upgrades.
Clean energy and innovation
- £2.5 billion for the first small modular reactors to start being produced by Rolls-Royce in nearby Derby.
- A further £2.5 billion for fusion energy in north Nottinghamshire. Both investments will benefit local supply chains and strengthen high-skilled job opportunities in the region.
Affordable housing
- A £39 billion investment over 10 years to support the construction of more social and affordable homes. Funding hasn’t been apportioned yet but will potentially help areas like Rushcliffe where demand for housing remains high but affordability is poor.
Skills and apprenticeships
- A £1.2 billion annual uplift in funding for apprenticeships and training with a focus on sectors such as construction, engineering and technology.
Rural and environmental investment
- £2.7 billion per year for farming from April 2026, with Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) payments rising to £2 billion by 2028/29.
- A 5% increase in flood defence investment, taking the total to a record £4.2 billion.
- Money for tree planting (£816m), environmental schemes (£5.9bn) and peatland restoration (£85m).
Known direct benefits for Rushcliffe include the following:
- East Midlands Freeport, which includes the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site in Rushcliffe, will continue to benefit from tax incentives worth £160 million to attract green energy and advanced manufacturing investment to support industrial growth.
- The £105 million National Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall will receive more funding and remains on track to open later in 2025, providing world-leading trauma and rehabilitation care and new jobs.
- The free school meals expansion from September 2026 will benefit approximately 2,860 pupils in Rushcliffe.
- Warm homes funding: Rushcliffe is part of a grant consortium which has received £69.9 million to support energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating for lower-income households.
- East Leake based Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK Ltd is due to receive over £525,000 to improve its energy efficiency and support decarbonisation (subject to final confirmation).
- Sutton Bonington Primary School is due to be rebuilt, with contracts expected to be signed following the education capital funding announcement (subject to change).
James Naish concluded:
“This Spending Review – to be followed by the Industrial and Infrastructure Strategies – puts the East Midlands in a stronger position. With the right leadership and follow-through, we can make faster progress on transport, jobs, clean energy, housing and skills. My focus will be making sure that Rushcliffe sees its fair share of delivery.”
