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Delayed viaduct visitor centre could 'open by June'

Lauren MonaghanLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageLDRS A wide shot of the Bennerley Viaduct visitor centre construction site. They are two cabins for the visitor centre and some industrial units in the background. LDRS
Work is continuing on the Bennerley Viaduct visitor centre (left) and new industrial units have also been built at the site

Bennerley Viaduct's new visitor centre could open by the end of June after many months of delays, the leader of Broxtowe Borough Council has said.

Milan Radulovic said the visitor centre, which will have a café and educational space, was on course to open in June or July depending on how work progresses.

Radulovic made the comments on Friday as he attended the site off the A6096 in Awsworth, to mark the opening of five new industrial units, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

Radulovic said the visitor centre was an "exciting project".

News imageLDRS Milan has short grey hair and is wearing a black suit and yellow tie. He is in an industrial unit. LDRS
Milan Radulovic attended the opening of five new industrial units at the site

He said: "I'm hoping [it will open] either in June or July, it just depends on the fitting out of the main building.

"It's an exciting project, it's made to look industrial on the outside and that's because it's not about some sort of fancy building, it's actually paying tribute to the people that went before us, the hard work they did, the fruits of today which we enjoy on the backs of working people."

Work began on the visitor centre in 2025 and it was originally set to open in the autumn with the new access ramp despite delays to fix a "crack" in the ramp path.

It was then hoped it would open during this year's Easter holidays.

Alongside the café, the building will also be used as an exhibition space to showcase creative works from the community.

News imageLDRS Inside the visitor centre. There is a table for a laptop on and some windows in the background. LDRS
The opening date for the visitor centre depends on how the fitting out progresses, Radulovic said

Speaking about the wider regeneration of the site, Broxtowe MP Juliet Campbell said: "I came here before the units were built, to see them progress and completed is just fantastic.

"What we need are spaces for new start-ups and industrial units so people can build enterprises in Broxtowe."

The new energy-efficient units form part of the authority's effort to draw more business into an area that Radulovic said lost "tens of thousands of jobs" when its industrial sector slowed down.

Radulovic, from the Broxtowe Alliance independents, said: "It's the workshop of the world in manufacturing… we feel a sense of betrayal to the government to the impact this has had on our communities, in terms of higher unemployment, our health statistics – they are doing appalling."

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