Go-ahead for new planetarium

Plans for a new planetarium building at the existing Sherwood Observatory site have received the go-ahead.The Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society (MSAS) sought permission from Ashfield District Council for its Planetarium and Science Discovery Centre.The development will transform a disused underground Victorian reservoir, which was dug in the 1880s, into an education centre for school and group visits, and feature an exhibition hall, classrooms, a café and meeting rooms, as well as the planetarium.The reservoir will have a new structure built above it, to increase the useable space and transform the existing structure into a habitable building.It is hoped that the scheme will support ambitions to increase annual visitor numbers from 3,000 to 20,000.The council’s planning committee reviewed the proposals on 22 March.A report for the committee said: “Although the level of activity at the site is likely to increase as a result of the proposal, it is considered that given the sites use, area topography, distance to nearby residents and boundary treatments, there shall be no detrimental harm to the living conditions of nearby residents.”Members voted to back the scheme, subject to conditions.Steve Wallace, planetarium project manager, said: “Granting of our planning application is great news and it represents a big step towards delivering on our vision to create a fantastic new science discovery centre and planetarium that will inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, as well as bringing visitors into the area.”