64-696: Nottingham city centre is the cultural, commercial, financial and historical heart of Nottingham , England, and represents the central area of the Greater Nottingham conurbation . The centre of the city is usually defined as the Old Market Square , one of the largest surviving town squares in the United Kingdom . Covering about 12,000 square metres, it is within the boundaries of the centuries-old Great Market Place, which covered about 22,000 square metres. A major redevelopment of
128-550: A casino , a flight simulator and an indoor crazy 18-hole golf course . There is a redevelopment project in progress that is changing the former industrial brownfield area to the east of Nottingham city centre's historic core, which will be known as Eastside City. This area stretches from the Nottingham-Beeston Canal in the south towards the National Ice Centre . There are plans to create
192-674: A 68% year-on-year increase. In 2017, Nottingham came seventh in Harper Dennis Hobbes's Top 50 British Centres, behind the West End of London , Glasgow , Birmingham , Manchester , Leeds and Liverpool . The Bridlesmith Gate area has numerous designer shops, one being the original Paul Smith boutique. There are various specialist shops and small businesses in side streets and alleys: notable streets include Poultry Walk, West End Arcade and Hurts Yard and Derby Road (the latter once known for antiques). Smaller shopping areas in
256-579: A distance." During the Industrial Revolution , much of Nottingham's prosperity was founded on the textile industry ; in particular, the city became an internationally important centre of lace manufacture. In 1831 citizens rioted in protest against the Duke of Newcastle 's opposition to the Reform Act 1832 , setting fire to his residence on the site of Nottingham Castle. In common with
320-596: A letter from the prime minister, the Marquess of Salisbury to the mayor, dated 18 June 1897. Nottingham was extended in 1933 by adding Bilborough and Wollaton , parts of the parishes of Bestwood Park and Colwick , and a recently developed part of the Beeston Urban District . A further boundary extension was granted in 1951 when Clifton and Wilford (south of the River Trent) were incorporated into
384-541: A list of 20 Cities of Literature. The title reflects Nottingham's literary heritage, with Lord Byron , D. H. Lawrence and Alan Sillitoe having links to the city, as well as a contemporary literary community, a publishing industry and a poetry scene. The city is served by three universities: the University of Nottingham , Nottingham Trent University and the Nottingham campus of the University of Law ; it hosts
448-764: A number of independent schools. The city's oldest educational establishment is Nottingham High School , which was founded in 1513. The city contains several notable museums including: In 2015, the National Videogame Arcade was opened in the Hockley area of the city; being "the UK's first cultural centre for videogames". It was announced in June 2018 that the arcade was soon to close and relocate to Sheffield city centre, where it reopened in November 2018 as
512-483: A site named 'The Island', which will form the heart of the regeneration zone with public open spaces, restaurants and bars and a park for the city's inhabitants. The planned development consists of homes, offices and retail units. 52°57′11″N 1°08′56″W / 52.953°N 1.149°W / 52.953; -1.149 Nottingham Nottingham ( / ˈ n ɒ t ɪ ŋ ə m / NOT -ing-əm , locally / ˈ n ɒ t n ʊ m / )
576-480: A temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) is recorded at least 1 day per year at Watnall for the period of 1991–2020, and the warmest day of the year reaches an average of 30.0 °C (86.0 °F). For the period 1991–2020 Nottingham (Watnall) recorded on average 36.9 days of air frost per year, and Sutton Bonington 42.2. The lowest recorded temperature in Nottingham (Watnall) is −13.3 °C (8.1 °F) recorded in 23 January 1963 and 13 January 1987 , whilst
640-553: A temperature of −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) was recorded in Sutton Bonington on 24 February 1947 . The record-low maximum temperature is −6.3 °C (20.7 °F) recorded in January 1963 . For the period of 1991–2020, the coldest temperature of the year reaches an average of −5.5 °C (22.1 °F) in Nottingham (Watnall). The city centre of Nottingham is usually defined as the Old Market Square . The square
704-604: Is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire , East Midlands , England. It is located 33 miles (53 km) south-east of Sheffield and 45 miles (72 km) north-east of Birmingham . Nottingham is the legendary home of Robin Hood and to the lace -making, bicycle and tobacco industries. The city is also the county town of Nottinghamshire and the settlement was granted its city charter in 1897, as part of Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. In
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#1732787398547768-501: Is a mid-sized music venue that draws many popular bands from across the world, and so is an important part of Nottingham's music tourism scene. Every summer the Market Square hosts the annual Nottingham Beach, funded by Mellor Events. It includes an artificial beach, beach bar and rides. Nottingham is home to a wide variety of entertainment venues, the largest of which is the 10,000-seater Motorpoint Arena Nottingham (part of
832-586: Is a popular attraction for visitors to the city due to its links with Robin Hood . The Brewhouse Yard Museum (Museum of Nottingham Life) and the Museum of Costume and Textiles are close by. Part of Nottingham's expansive cave network is open to the public through the City of Caves attraction, and the Galleries of Justice on High Pavement was once a fully functioning Victorian courtroom . Notable churches within
896-447: Is also in the area; it was built in the 1970s on the demolished Victoria railway station site. All that remains of the old station is the station hotel and clock tower. The 250-foot-high Victoria Centre flats stand above the shopping centre and are the tallest buildings in the city . The Lace Market area just south of Hockley has streets with four- to seven-storey red brick warehouses, iron railings and red phone boxes . Many of
960-499: Is back on the political agenda and there is now pressure on the green belt which surrounds the city. Nottingham City Council is a unitary authority , and is based at Loxley House on Station Street. It consists of 55 councillors , representing 20 wards , who are elected every four years; the last elections being held on 2 May 2019 . The council is independent of Nottinghamshire County Council but work with them for local developments and other matters. Nottingham, though, remains
1024-576: Is dominated by the Council House , which was built in the 1920s to replace the Nottingham Exchange . The Council House has baroque columns and two stone lion statues in the front to stand watch over the square. The Exchange Arcade , on the ground floor, is a shopping centre. Tall office buildings line Maid Marian Way. The Georgian area around Oxford and Regent Streets is dominated by small professional firms. The Albert Hall faces
1088-812: Is estimated to be 1,610,000. The metropolitan economy of Nottingham is the seventh-largest in the United Kingdom with a GDP of $ 50.9 billion (2014). Aside from Birmingham, it is the only city in the Midlands to be ranked as a sufficiency-level world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Nottingham is a major sporting centre and, in October 2015, was named 'Home of English Sport'. The National Ice Centre , Holme Pierrepont National Water Sports Centre and Trent Bridge international cricket ground are all based in or around
1152-536: The 2021 Census , Nottingham had a reported population of 323,632. The wider conurbation, which includes many of the city's suburbs, has a population of 768,638. It is the largest urban area in the East Midlands and the second-largest in the Midlands. Its Functional Urban Area, the largest in the East Midlands, has a population of 919,484. The population of the Nottingham/ Derby metropolitan area
1216-581: The First Division , four League Cups , a UEFA Super Cup and two European Cups . During this time Forest signed Trevor Francis , Britain's first £1 million footballer, who joined the club in February 1979 from Birmingham City . The city was the site of race riots in 1958 , centred on the St Ann's neighbourhood. During the second half of the 20th century Nottingham saw urban growth with
1280-485: The Gothic revival St Barnabas' Roman Catholic Cathedral by Pugin . Nottingham Castle and its grounds are located further south in the western third of the city. The central third descends from the university district in the north, past Nottingham Trent University 's Gothic revival Arkwright Building. The university also owns many other buildings in this area. The Theatre Royal on Theatre Square, with its pillared façade,
1344-723: The Nottingham Express Transit . The site of the Royal Concert Hall was previously the old 'Empire Palace of Varieties' designed and built in 1898 by Frank Matcham . The Empire closed for the last time in 1958 and was demolished for road-widening in 1969. Designed by the Renton Howard Wood Levin Partnership (architects of the Sheffield Crucible Theatre and Manchester's Bridgewater Hall ),
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#17327873985471408-547: The University of Law and the University of Nottingham ; in the 2016/17 academic year, Trent University was attended by 29,370 students and Nottingham University by 32,515. The University of Nottingham Medical School is part of the Queen's Medical Centre . There are three colleges of further education located in Nottingham: Bilborough College is solely a sixth form college ; Nottingham College
1472-603: The modern Welsh name for Nottingham, and in English as the City of Caves . The English name of Nottingham is Anglo-Saxon in origin. A Saxon chieftain named Snot ruled an area known as Snotingaham in Old English ; the homestead of Snot's people ( -inga = 'the people of'; -ham = 'homestead'). Some authors derive Nottingham from Snottenga (caves) and ham (homestead) but "this has nothing to do with
1536-517: The ATP and WTA tours. This accolade came just over a year after Nottingham was named as the UK's first City of Football . The city is served by Nottingham railway station and the Nottingham Express Transit tram system; its bus company, Nottingham City Transport , is the largest publicly owned bus network in England. In December 2015, Nottingham was named a ' City of Literature ' by UNESCO , joining
1600-848: The American credit card company Capital One ; the national law firm Browne Jacobson ; and Earache Records , an independent music company founded by local resident Digby Pearson , based on Handel Street in Sneinton . Nottingham also has offices of Nottingham Building Society (established 1849); HM Revenue & Customs ; the Driving Standards Agency ; Ofsted ; the Care Quality Commission and BBC East Midlands . The schools and aerial photographers, H Tempest Ltd, were Nottingham-based for many years, until relocating to St Ives, Cornwall January 1959. Nottingham
1664-414: The English city of Nottingham . It is owned by Nottingham City Council and is part of a complex that also includes the city's Theatre Royal . The Royal Concert Hall's striking modern architecture has proved to be a city landmark at the heart of Nottingham City Centre , opposite the more recently built The Cornerhouse complex. The concert hall is served by the adjacent Royal Centre tram stop on
1728-707: The English form". Nottingham Castle was constructed in 1068 on a sandstone outcrop by the River Leen . The early history of Nottingham dates back to 919 A.D. where King Edward the Elder captured Nottingham to which he built a fortress on the southern bank of the river Trent in 921 A.D. During the Norman Conquest King William the Conqueror built a castle in Nottingham which was entrusted to William Peverel . The Anglo-Saxon settlement
1792-701: The National Ice Centre), where many big-name acts perform regularly. The city's major producing theatre, the Nottingham Playhouse , has built up a national reputation for its exciting, innovative and contemporary new works. The Nottingham Royal Centre incorporates the 2,500-seater Royal Concert Hall and the Victorian Theatre Royal . The Royal Concert Hall is the region's top venue for classical music and regularly plays host to world-class orchestras and ballets, while
1856-950: The National Videogame Museum. Nottingham is the East Midlands' largest economy. The headquarters of several large companies are based in the city: these include Alliance Boots (formerly Boots the Chemists ); Chinook Sciences; GM (cricket bats); Pedigree Petfoods ; VF Corporation (American clothing); Changan Automobile (Chinese-made automobiles); the credit reference agency Experian ; energy company E.ON Energy UK ; betting company Gala Bingo ; amusement and gambling machine manufacturer Bell-Fruit-Games; engineering company Siemens ; sportswear manufacturers Speedo ; high-street opticians Vision Express and Specsavers ; games and publishing company Games Workshop ; PC software developer Serif Europe (publisher of PagePlus and other titles); web hosting provider Heart Internet ;
1920-564: The Nottingham urban district extends into Derbyshire where Ilkeston and Long Eaton are administered by Erewash Borough Council , and Ripley by Amber Valley . To the north, Hucknall is governed by Ashfield District Council , while in the east Arnold and Carlton form part of the Borough of Gedling . South of the river, the town of West Bridgford lies in Rushcliffe , as do the outlying villages of Ruddington and Tollerton and
1984-660: The Old Market Square was completed in March 2007. Many of the main shopping streets surround the square, which is dominated by Nottingham's city hall . Much of the ground floor of the building houses the Exchange Arcade , a boutique shopping centre. A Bohemian quarter of the city known as Hockley has gained popularity in recent years, situated close to the Lace Market area. The north-western end of
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2048-562: The Theatre Royal is considered one of the finest venues in the country for major touring West End musicals and plays. Nottingham has a significant stand-up comedy scene, with a large open mic circuit. Nottingham's branch of The Glee Club is situated along the Nottingham Canal . The Cornerhouse entertainment complex houses a multi-screen Cineworld cinema, a multitude of continental pavement cafés and restaurants,
2112-618: The UK textile industry, Nottingham's textile sector fell into decline in the decades following the Second World War . Little textile manufacture now takes place in Nottingham; however, many of the former industrial buildings in the Lace Market district have been restored and put to new uses. Nottingham was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , and at that time consisted of
2176-482: The United Kingdom, Nottingham has a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb) and experiences warm mild summers and mild to cool winters with abundant precipitation throughout the year. There are two weather-reporting stations close to Nottingham: the former "Nottingham Weather Centre", at Watnall , about 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the city centre; and the University of Nottingham 's agricultural campus at Sutton Bonington , about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of
2240-676: The buildings have been converted into apartments, bars and restaurants. The largest building in the Lace Market is the Adams Building , built by Thomas Chambers Hine for Thomas Adams (1807–1873), and currently used by Nottingham College . The Georgian-built Shire Hall, which was once Nottingham's main court and prison building, is now home to the National Justice Museum (formerly the "Galleries of Justice"). Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem (the Trip), partially built into
2304-492: The castle during medieval times. There are also caves beneath the Salutation that date back to the medieval period, although they are no longer used as beer cellars. The Bell Inn is probably the oldest of the three pub buildings still standing, according to dendrochronology , and has medieval cellars that are still used to store beer. Almost 62,000 students attend the city's three universities, Nottingham Trent University ,
2368-517: The castle on the hill opposite and was the French borough supporting the Normans in the castle. Eventually, the space between was built on as the town grew and the Old Market Square became the focus of Nottingham several centuries later. Defences consisted initially of a ditch and bank in the early 12th century. The ditch was later widened, in the mid-13th century, and a stone wall built around much of
2432-581: The cave system beneath Nottingham Castle, is a contender for the title of England's Oldest Pub, as it is supposed to have been established in 1189. The Bell Inn in the Old Market Square, and Ye Olde Salutation Inn (the Salutation) in Maid Marian Way have both disputed this claim. The Trip's current timber building probably dates back to the 17th or 18th century, but the caves are certainly older and may have been used to store beer and water for
2496-411: The city are the older Flying Horse Walk , The Exchange Arcade , Hockley and newer Trinity Square and The Pod. Nottingham's Victoria Centre is the city's main retail shopping centre: it was the first to be built in the city and was developed on the site of the former Nottingham Victoria railway station . Nottingham Royal Concert Hall Nottingham Royal Concert Hall is a concert hall in
2560-624: The city centre include the Roman Catholic Nottingham Cathedral and the medieval St. Mary's Church at the heart of the Lace Market. The National Ice Centre (adjoined to Motorpoint Arena Nottingham) is located close to the city's Lace Market quarter and is the first twin Olympic ice-pad facility in the UK. It is the home of the Nottingham Panthers , a professional ice-hockey team. Rock City
2624-532: The city centre is home to the Nottingham Trent University city campus, which contains a mix of old and new buildings. The university's Newton building is one of the tallest buildings in Nottingham and has a prominent position on the city's skyline. Nottingham's central railway station is located in the city centre. Nottingham Express Transit trams also service the area. Nottingham city centre has been ranked fifth on Experian 's list of
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2688-428: The city centre. The highest temperature recorded in Nottingham (Watnall) stands at 39.8 °C (103.6 °F), whilst Sutton Bonington recorded a temperature of 39.4 °C (102.9 °F), both recorded on 19 July 2022 , and the record-high minimum temperature is 20.3 °C (68.5 °F) recorded on 20 July 2022. On average, a temperature of 25 °C (77 °F) or above is recorded on 11 days per year, whilst
2752-513: The city, native wildlife includes red fox , peregrine falcon and common kingfisher . Notable nature reserves around the city include Attenborough Nature Reserve SSSI, Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, Holme Pit SSSI, Fairham Brook Local Wildlife Site and Wollaton Park . Due to its position as a central city with strong transport links, Nottingham has become home to invasive animal and plant species including rose-ringed parakeet , Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam . In 2017 it
2816-658: The city, these areas are governed by a two tier system of local government. Nottinghamshire County Council is based at the county hall. It provides the upper tier of local government whilst the lower tier is split into several district or borough councils. The County Council are responsible for Health, Social Care, Education, Highways, Transport, Libraries and Trading Standards, whilst the lower tier councils are responsible for local planning, neighbourhood services, housing, licensing, environmental health and leisure facilities. The towns of Beeston , Stapleford and Eastwood are administered by Broxtowe Borough Council . Further west still,
2880-567: The city, which is also the home of two professional football teams: Notts County , recognised as the world's oldest professional league club, and Nottingham Forest , famously two-time winners of the UEFA European Cup under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor in 1979 and 1980 . The city has professional rugby, ice hockey and cricket teams; it also hosts the Aegon Nottingham Open , an international tennis tournament on
2944-461: The city. Electric trams were introduced to the city in 1901; they served the city for 35 years until 1936. Trams were reintroduced after 68 years when a new network opened in 2004. In the sporting world, Nottingham is home to the world's oldest professional football club, Notts County , which was formed in 1862. The town's other football club, Nottingham Forest , had a period of success between 1977 and 1993 under manager Brian Clough , winning
3008-558: The county town of Nottinghamshire even though the county hall is in the neighbouring town of West Bridgford where the county council is based. The city also has a Lord Mayor who is selected by city councillors from among themselves. The position is largely ceremonial but the Lord Mayor also acts as Chair of Full Council meetings. The City of Nottingham's boundaries are tightly drawn and exclude several suburbs and towns that are usually considered part of Greater Nottingham . Unlike
3072-435: The development of new public and private housing estates and new urban centres, which have engulfed former rural villages such as Bilborough, Wollaton, Gedling and Bramcote. South of the river there has also been expansion with new areas such as Edwalton and West Bridgford, adding to Nottingham's urban sprawl . Although this growth slowed towards the end of the century, the modern pressures for more affordable and council housing
3136-480: The filming location of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning , was demolished in 2003 to make way for the University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus 's expansion. In 2015, Nottingham was ranked in the top 10 UK cities for job growth (from 2004 to 2013), in the public and private sectors. and in the same year, it was revealed that more new companies were started in Nottingham in 2014–15 than in any other UK city, with
3200-528: The highest concentration of higher education providers in the East Midlands . A community existed in what is now Nottingham's city centre before the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain . This community was recorded under the name Tigguo Cobauc ( Brythonic : Tig Guocobauc ) by the ninth century cleric Asser , in his work The Life of King Alfred . This original name survives as Y Tŷ Ogofog ,
3264-561: The late 18th century was the German traveller C. P. Moritz , who wrote in 1782, "Of all the towns I have seen outside London, Nottingham is the loveliest and neatest. Everything had a modern look, and a large space in the centre was hardly less handsome than a London square. A charming footpath leads over the fields to the highway, where a bridge spans the Trent. … Nottingham … with its high houses, red roofs and church steeples, looks excellent from
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#17327873985473328-480: The late medieval period Nottingham alabasters were exported as far afield as Iceland, and may be one reason why a small number of Icelandic immigrants lived in Nottingham during the 15th century. The town became a county corporate in 1449 giving it effective self-government, in the words of the charter, "for eternity". The Castle and Shire Hall were expressly excluded and remained as detached Parishes of Nottinghamshire . One of those highly impressed by Nottingham in
3392-484: The legends of Robin Hood , Nottingham Castle is the scene of the final showdown between the Sheriff and the hero outlaw. King John of England (formerly Prince John) visited Nottingham in 1199 and 1202. Later King Henry III of England held a court in Nottingham. By the 15th century Nottingham had established itself as a centre of a thriving export trade in religious sculpture made from Nottingham alabaster . During
3456-587: The parishes of St Mary, St Nicholas and St Peter. It was expanded in 1877 by adding the parishes of Basford , Brewhouse Yard, Bulwell , Radford , Sneinton , Standard Hill, and parts of the parishes of West Bridgford , Carlton , Wilford (North Wilford). In 1889 Nottingham became a county borough under the Local Government Act 1888 . City status was awarded as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria, being signified in
3520-594: The parliamentary constituency boundaries do not align with the boundaries of the council districts of which they share their name. Nottingham is situated on an area of low hills along the lower valley of the River Trent , and is surrounded by the Sherwood Forest in the north, the Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfield in the west, and the Trent and Belvoir Vales in the east and south. Within
3584-408: The perimeter of the town. A short length of the wall survives, and is visible at the northern end of Maid Marian Way, and is protected as a Scheduled Monument. On the return of King Richard the Lionheart from the Crusades in 1194, the castle was occupied by supporters of Prince John , including the Sheriff of Nottingham . It was besieged by Richard and, after a sharp conflict, was captured. In
3648-446: The target sectors of their economic development strategy would include low-carbon technologies; digital media ; life sciences ; financial and business services; and retail and leisure. The city formerly had a major bicycle manufacturing industry sector. Raleigh Bicycle Company was established in 1886 and Sturmey-Archer , the developer of three-speed hub gears, was also founded in the city. Raleigh's factory on Triumph Road, famous as
3712-520: The top 15 UK retail areas. The city centre's fashion core is centred on Bridlesmith Gate , which is home to upmarket names such as Kurt Geiger , Ted Baker and Diesel . Sir Paul Smith 's flagship store is located on Middle Pavement, and Hugo Boss is located on St. Peter's Gate. Nottingham city centre is split into five "zones", which were introduced with the Nottingham Parksmart scheme in 2009 to signpost visitors to parking facilities and tourist attractions. The zones are named: Nottingham Castle
3776-477: The town of Bingham . Nottingham has three UK parliamentary constituency seats within its boundaries. Nottingham North has been represented since 2017 by Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Alex Norris , Nottingham East since 2019 by Labour MP Nadia Whittome and Nottingham South since 2010 by Labour MP Lilian Greenwood . Each of the outer districts (Broxtowe, Ashfield, Gedling and Rushcliffe) are also parliamentary constituencies in their own right although
3840-461: Was built in 1865. King and Queen Streets are home to striking Victorian buildings designed by such architects as Alfred Waterhouse and Watson Fothergill . The Canal-side to the south of the city is adjacent to Nottingham railway station and home to multiple repurposed (as bars and restaurants) 19th-century industrial buildings. The eastern third of the city contains Hockley Village , with specialist and independent shops. The Victoria Centre
3904-469: Was formed in 2017, by the amalgamation of Central College Nottingham and New College Nottingham (which had both previously formed from the merger of smaller FE colleges); and the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies , owned by Nottingham Trent University, is a further education college that specialises in media. The city has dozens of sixth form colleges and academies, providing education and training for adults aged over sixteen. Nottingham also has
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#17327873985473968-432: Was named one of the UK's six science cities in 2005 by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown . Among the science-based industries within the city is BioCity . Founded as a joint venture between Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham, it is the UK's biggest bioscience innovation and incubation centre, housing around 80 science-based companies. In 2010, Nottingham City Council announced that
4032-418: Was originally confined to the area today known as the Lace Market and was surrounded by a substantial defensive ditch and rampart, which fell out of use following the Norman Conquest and was filled by the time of the Domesday Book (1086). Following the Norman Conquest the Saxon settlement developed into the English Borough of Nottingham and housed a Town Hall and Law Courts. A settlement also developed around
4096-447: Was reported that Nottingham was one of a number of UK cities that broke WHO air pollution guidelines for the maximum concentration of small particulate matter; the pollution in part being caused by harmful wood-burning stoves. Nottingham is bounded by a green belt area, provisionally drawn up from the 1950s. Completely encircling the city, it extends for several miles into the surrounding districts, as well as towards Derby. Like most of
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