B&M are delighted to announce the opening of a brand new discount store in Shepshed After opening its doors at 8am on Saturday the 26th of April the B&M team greeted shoppers eager to find their favourite products at unbelievable prices The B&M team previously took possession of a former Co-op site and immediately began extensive internal and external refurbishment The new and improved store now boasts over 10,000 sqft of high quality shopping space The local economy has also had a welcome boost with the creation of 22 new jobs Customers can expect to find a wide variety of branded groceries for the best possible price including a range of food There will also be a fantastic selection of quality health and beauty products The store manager from B&M said: “We’re feeling extremely positive about the creation of more jobs for local people and we hope customers are going to be delighted with their new store.” The colleagues were asked to nominate a local charity they think truly deserves some VIP treatment for the work they do for the local community. They chose the team from Shepshed Foodbank to take centre stage and officially unveil the new B&M store Shepshed Foodbank is a nonprofit organisation that collects and distributes food for individuals and families The organisation supplies aid for Shepshed and its surrounding villages and seek to support those who are in crisis and need temporary help to keep themselves and their families fed The store manager also commented: “Shepshed Foodbank really stood out for us so we wanted to give them some VIP treatment as a thank you for all the hard work that they have done We hope that our donation can help them to continue the great work they do.”  For more information please visit our Shepshed store For all the very latest news and intelligence on the UK's largest home improvement and garden retailers, sign up for the Insight DIY weekly newsletter.   I find the news and articles they publish really useful and enjoy reading their views and commentary on the industry reliable information on our major customers and it's used regularly by myself and my team We use some essential cookies to make this website work We would also like to set additional cookies to understand how you use this website and improve Council services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services Sixteen homes across two separate new build development sites in Shepshed have been acquired by Charnwood Borough Council Six four-bedroom houses on the Jubilee Rise development in Shepshed have been acquired along with 10 houses on another development the Council’s lead member for planning and housing said: “It is vital that more housing is made available to the public and I am pleased that the Council has managed to acquire these properties in Shepshed “There is a need for additional affordable rental properties within the borough and the acquisition of the properties will increase the council’s housing stock and contribute to meeting the need for affordable rental properties within the borough.  “It is important that we work with developers to ensure that affordable housing is provided for our residents and that local services are receiving funding when development takes place.” The properties at Jubilee Rise have recently been completed The properties at the second development are expected to be completed between May and June 2025 All 16 properties will be owned and managed under the Housing Revenue Account and let at social rent levels.  The four-bedroom houses are due to be available for members of the public who are on the council’s housing register to bid on through the Council’s website between the 16th and 21st January the Council has acquired 54 additional properties The Council manages around 5,500 properties in the borough and offers a range of services for tenants If you have any questions or suggestions and would like to find out the best way to get in touch with us, please visit the Contact Us page or connect with us on social media Enter your house number and your street name or postcode for more localised information Website developed by Cuttlefish This news article was published more than 6 months ago Please be aware that this information may now be out of date A major regeneration scheme to make Shepshed town centre a better place to visit has seen significant improvements made to pedestrian areas Market Place was transformed in 2023 with the rest of the works in Bull Ring and Hall Croft being completed over the summer The Council has worked closely with Shepshed Town Council and Shepshed Town Team said: “I am pleased to see the Shepshed regeneration scheme completed and it has made a huge difference to the town “We have worked closely with both Shepshed Town Council and Shepshed Town Team throughout the process and I’m hoping that it will be an improvement for residents visitors and business owners in Shepshed.” the Council’s lead member for economic development regeneration and town centres added: “Bull Ring and Hall Croft are looking fantastic following on from this work and Shepshed as a whole has really benefited from this scheme “The feedback we have received from businesses in Market Place and at Bull Ring has been hugely positive and I hope to see Shepshed thrive for years to come.” said: “The Town Council and Town Team are really pleased to see the improvements that this scheme has made to Shepshed and we feel it will have a huge impact on businesses and residents.” MP for Loughborough said: “I’m incredibly impressed it has made a huge improvement to Shepshed and the completion of the scheme will really help the local community and encourage more footfall to the area.” a larger pedestrianised area was created with pavements widened in some areas cycle parking facilities and planting have been added and Brook Street has been realigned and a 20mph zone created Improvements to Bull Ring has seen the installation of a pocket park A new bus shelter has also been constructed at the location cleaning of the paving and additional planting The total cost of the scheme is around £3 million The scheme was supported by £850,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is one of 10 projects chosen by Charnwood Borough Council The Council has been allocated £4 million from the fund to invest in communities support local businesses and improve skills Funding was also provided by the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Section 106 developer contributions and the borough council To find out full details about both phases of the Shepshed Town Centre Regeneration Scheme, visit: www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/shepshed_town_centre_regeneration_scheme B&M is expanding across the UK(Image: (Image: Getty))Bargain hunters, brace yourselves! Ba&M is set to sprinkle a bit more discount magic across Britain with plans to open 45 new stores in 2025 with a further 2.4% drop in the last quarter it's not all doom and gloom for the high street favourite The group as a whole enjoyed a 3.7% uplift in sales thanks to their fresh store launches and a sterling performance from their French branches helping to cushion the blow of the UK's sluggish figures Last year saw B&M cut the ribbon on 45 new location(Image: (Image: Getty))The company is also on the hunt for a new chief exec as Alex Russo is set to hang up his retail hat at the end of April, with updates on his successor expected "in due course", reports the Express Last year saw B&M cut the ribbon on 45 new locations and they're sticking to the same growth script this year While they're keeping schtum on most of the upcoming store sites whetting the appetite of bargain lovers nationwide It's yet to say where all of them will be but has revealed the locations of 16 of them so far The chain is opening dozens of new branches this year (stock image)(Image: (Image: Getty))‌The news comes after B&M shoppers are only just twigging what the name actually stands for Many might assume that the name stands for Bargains and More reflecting the store's low-cost products But to truly comprehend the brand's name The current billionaire CEO recently admitted he wasn't even sure what the name meant but was informed it stood for Bargains and More named after the chain's founder Malcolm Billington and his partner Mayman For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. There are delays reported to be at least an hour on the M1 in Leicestershire 7 pm Traffic has been released and all lanes are now open on the M1 northbound between J22 Markfield and J23 Shepshed following an earlier collision There are 6 miles congestion following this incident ‘Traffic is stopped on the M1 northbound between J22 Markfield and J23 Shepshed due to a collision ”Emergency services and recovery are on scene with Traffic Officers ‘There are 4 miles congestion on approach causing 30 min delays above normal journey time.’ – On X motorists are reporting delays of one hour ‘Road blocked and long delays due to crash on M1 Northbound at J23 A512 Ashby Road East (Loughborough) Congestion to before J22 (Coalville / Ashby de la Zouch) ‘Severe delays of 62 minutes and delays easing on M1 Northbound between J21A A46 (Leicester North / Kirby Muxloe) and J23 A512 Ashby Road East (Loughborough) The end appears to be close for a stricken caravan firm after it was revealed that its headquarters site has been put up for sale The site formerly occupied by Ryedale Caravan & Leisure has been placed on the market for £1.7m by Watling Real Estate Dean Nelson and Brett Barton of PKF Smith Cooper have instructed Watling Real Estate to sell the freehold 1.83 acre site in Shepshed previously occupied by the firm director in the Midlands office of Watling Real Estate said: “Ryedale Caravan & Leisure is sadly another victim of the reduction in demand in the caravan and leisure sector highly visible roadside location on the key arterial A512 Ashby Road and offers excellent asset management “The property may be of particular interest to dealership and convenience retail/food store occupiers given it has previously benefitted from A1 and A3/A5 planning use consent.” Ryedale Caravan & Leisure was one of Leicestershire’s largest caravan and motorcaravan dealerships who have more than 90 years’ experience combined in the trade A BRAND-NEW specialist school for pupils with Social and Mental Health (SEMH) needs has completed in Shepshed offering facilities for students aged 4-16 from September 2024 which is situated on the former site of St Botolph’s Primary School located to the east of Shepshed on Loughborough Road will see pupils benefit from a range of facilities to suit their needs This includes classroom suites with vinyl areas to support practical learning practical teaching spaces including a domestic kitchen which has been designed sympathetically to the needs of SEMH learning with facilities for 16 primary-aged children across two ground floor classrooms with the remaining 48 secondary-aged pupils split across two ground floor classrooms The first floor also has an additional three classrooms for practical uses Multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard was behind the scheme providing architectural services for main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland which was procured by the Department for Education (DfE) under the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC1) framework said: “Working on SEND schools is always a privilege with unique design applications and special consideration for the needs of a diverse range of learning “Creating an environment that is both functional and comfortable for pupils was central to the aims of the project which should in turn aid the school in attracting and retaining students in the area “The construction technique employed on this project was a fully offsite solution so thorough sequencing and planning was paramount to ensure all materials were delivered safely and successfully “We’re delighted to have worked alongside Bowmer + Kirkland once again to deliver this fantastic academy for pupils in the area with SEMH needs.” Bowman Academy’s design includes a ‘fabric-first’ approach which reduces the energy requirements of the building through measures including high levels of insulation High efficiency boilers have been installed at the school which will be run by the Community Inclusive Trust (CIT) as well as LED lighting with occupancy and daylight controls for resource management The building also has glare control and sustainable natural ventilation the site includes a photovoltaic panel array providing a ten per cent energy consumption offset from renewable technology said: “We have been working for the DfE since 2013 and are proud of the 73 schools we have completed but specialist schools are unique in the enormous difference they make to the pupils and their families We are delighted to continue our relationship with Pick Everard to deliver another fantastic facility which will improve the lives of so many young people.” cabinet member for Children and Families at Leicestershire County Council said: “It is exciting to see the school completed and we’re looking forward to it opening and welcoming new pupils “The building of Bowman Academy part of a wider program to ensure provision is available to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Leicestershire as close to their homes as possible. “This includes both the building of special schools and creating provision in mainstream schools.” said, “This is a very exciting time for Bowman Academy SEMH is a unique sector of education requiring distinctive building design to support the delivery of specialist teaching and care for pupils “We look forward to welcoming children in Shepshed and the surrounding area to our new setting and supporting them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to help them thrive in adult life.” The project at Bowman Academy builds on further work from Pick Everard in Shepshed, following its key role in the £2.5m regeneration of its town centre in March For more information on Pick Everard and the services it provides, visit: www.pickeverard.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals A Building Magazine Leading in the field of building news reporting Building Design & Construction Magazine is one of the most respected and referenced sources of building news enquiries@bdcmagazine.co.uk+44 1484 437312 Subscribe our newsletter to get the best stories into your inbox © 2025 BDC Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals A Leicestershire caravan retailer is facing an uncertain future has posted a notice of intention to appoint administrators via accountancy firm PKF Smith Cooper The move will protect Ryedale from creditor action for a period of around ten days Ryedale employed 15 people and had assets of over £2m Ryedale holds stock by the likes of Bailey Sterling and Swift and also sells awnings and porhces The firm claims to have one of the largest caravan repair and maintenance workshop departments in the Midlands Mickleover are off to Shepshed Dynamo for their first midweek pre-season friendly The Northern Premier League Midlands team finished 14th last season but appointed new manager Tom Hayes at the beginning of May Hayes was a player at Leicester City at Walsall before turning to coaching He managed Loughborough Dynamo last season and has been head coach at the University of Nottingham for the last seven years Coventry City and Notts County and is now assisted by former Shepshed boss John Ramshaw Our hosts started their pre-season campaign with an 8-1 win at Lutterworth Recently signed goalkeeper Alex Akers is an ex Nottingham Forest junior Midfielder Liam Merrick is a new arrival from Coventry Utd having previously been with Rothwell Corinthians and also coaches at the LCV International Football Academy Kyle Dixon is another midfielder who has been at our hosts since July last year An ex Notts County Junior he was loaned to Boston Utd and Telford before making a permanent move to Boston following his release before a nine month stay at Carlton preceded his move to Shepshed Centre back Jordan Wakeling is about to start his seventh season with Shepshed before moving to Barwell and spent two seasons at Gresley Rovers before joining our hosts Left back Mitch Tait is another new arrival David Chapman is another newly signed defender who has recently been playing at Nottingham University He was a Forest Junior and has also played for Kettering Striker Jack Astill was with manager Hayes at Loughborough last season and recently moved to Shepshed before moving  to Melton and Lutterworth Athletic After a spell in US College football he joined Birstall on his return to the UK and was at Anstey Nomads prior to his Loughborough move James Shaw was the clubs top scorer last season The young striker came from Burton Albion’s Academy He was at Kimberley MW before joining our hosts Midfielder Finley Armond started out at Boston Utd but on his release he moved to the US with Queens Knights After a year he returned to the UK with Sleaford Town His next stop was Matlock Town before returning to Sleaford and is another of manager Hayes’ new additions Chad Timson has followed Hayes from Loughborough too Antigua and Barbudan International midfielder Jorrin John has recently returned to our hosts before spending a couple of years in Thailand with Muangthong Utd Back in the UK he played for Corby and Nuneaton before going to NK Domzale in Slovenia and Phnom Penh in Cambodia Newark and Atherstone then preceded his first stay at Shepshed in July 2022 before he left again after a couple of months to join Melton Town After a spell at Atherstone he played at Wellingborough Town last season Striker Connor Furey is another recent arrival from Loughborough He started his career at Corby Town and has played for Stamford and Harborough Town Central midfielder Niall Prendeville is the clubs longest servant Midfielder Callum Burkey was signed last March on a dual registration with Coalville He started at Southend Utd and has played for AFC Sudbury and Basildon too Centre back Jordan Smith captained the side last season and returned to Shepshed for his second spell in the 22/23 season Ilkeston and Kings Lynn are amongst his previous clubs Defender Elwalid Elhaghany is another player that arrived last season on a dual registration from Nuneaton He’s also played for Loughborough Dynamo and Coventry Utd I this game we want to look at some of the younger lads and give them time and minutes on the pitch to be part of the squad We are still looking at a few players still so we will have one or two trialists again Kick off at the Dovecote Stadium is 7.45pm A Leicestershire man has celebrated his stag do by visiting every pub in Shepshed - including the ones which no longer exist The town was once known as having more hostelries than anywhere else Local publicans made a special monopoly type board for Pete Selby to complete as he visited each bar Sophia Hartley's been finding out what people in Shepshed think of their pubs and Pete Selby tells Ady Dayman why he wanted to celebrate the heritage of the town Young, who stormed to Paralympic glory at Tokyo 2020 is now recognised as one of the most exciting talents in athletics.   The Loughborough Sport Scholar will compete in the Men’s Para 100m in front of an expected bumper crowd at the University’s Paula Radcliffe Stadium “I’m really excited to be returning to the Loughborough International this year,” Young said “It is always a highlight of the athletics calendar for many it often marks the official start of the season once they have blown the cobwebs out in earlier meets “It always brings together the top talent from across the UK and fortunately the Birmingham Diamond League falls on the Saturday so I am able to double up and return to race on my home track on Sunday It gives me the opportunity to simulate championship racing across two days “Having grown up down the road in Shepshed and training at Loughborough LIA is easily accessible for all my friends and training partners to come and support.” Seen as the curtain-raiser to the outdoor season LIA kicks off a busy summer of athletics action with the World Championships (15-24 July) and European Championships (15-21 August) all to come This year’s event will once again see Loughborough athletes compete against teams representing England General admission ticket prices start from £10 for adults Tickets are available to purchase in advance by visiting: https://www.ticketline.co.uk/order/tickets/13361869/loughborough-international-athletics-2022-loughborough-paula-radcliffe-athletic-stadium-2022-05-22-11-00-00 Gates for LIA open at 10.00am with the first event taking place at 10.45am Refreshments will also be available throughout the day.  Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities with an international reputation for research that matters and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2022 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022 Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table being ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2022 and 10th in both the Guardian University League Table 2022 and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity In recognition of its contribution to the sector Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education as well as research and enterprise opportunities pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review Bring It On: The Musical tells the story of teenager Campbell Davis who dreams of leading her cheerleading squad to the National Championships Campbell becomes captain of Truman High School’s cheerleading squad and gets to cheer with her boyfriend Steven and her two best friends is a sophomore and Campbell encourages her to keep trying to be the very best cheerleader and one day she’ll get to be captain via the spirit stick Campbell receives a letter which confirms she has been redistricted to inner-city Jackson High School – a school without a cheerleading squad Eva receives a letter to say she can still attend Truman High School despite being neighbours with Campbell Despite Campbell’s attempts to stay at the school she soon finds herself walking down the hallways of Jackson High School and bumping into former Truman High Schooler the girls become close friends and look to join a new ‘squad’ but the only option is an already established dance crew things start to fall apart with former cheer mates Skylar and Kylar as they aren’t in charge of the Truman cheerleading squad and Campbell takes action to form a new cheerleading squad for Jackson High School The music for this show is by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda and it did not disappoint but I loved the combination of sass / rap / ballad mixes and the cast really put their all into the songs I am currently listening to the soundtrack and the cast did a fantastic job making the songs their own but still giving it Broadway-style energy The show starts off strong as Campbell (Alice Powell) is an excellent and confident lead and compliments other cast members well as her voice is powerful but gentil The core cheerleading/dance cast were brilliant and Bridget (Jessie Davies) kept the audience laughing throughout alongside La Cienega (David Sturla) Both of these actors really got into character and those parts were made for them especially because she can go from serious to shy to a sassy ballad queen Eva (Evie Hancock) sure knows how to turn everyone against her Hancock convinced us all that her character Eva is this sweet little sophomore this soon took a turn because her sassy biatch came out in the end and left her with nothing but a trophy – her leaping across the stage with the trophy had so many of us laughing some of the vocals were off-key slightly or a few individuals were quiet when trying to sing the higher notes so it was difficult to hear all the lyrics It’s daunting singing solo anyway but in front of a crowd of people especially as these performers are aged between 11 and 18 years old As confidence grows and they have performed the show a few times I think they’ll go from strength to strength and I look forward to seeing what else the cast can bring to future shows.  Cameron (Ethan Smith) and Twig (Arlen Panesar) performed fantastic renditions of ‘Friday Night Rapping is a skill in itself but mastering the delivery of the lyrics at such pace as a young performer needs commending in time and got the audience bopping away.  I do hope that those in the lead roles continue with musical theatre because they are naturals In previous amateur dramatic shows that I have seen sometimes nerves get the better of the cast and I’d like to take my hat off to Wendy Spencer as she believes in building the children’s confidence to get the very best out of them and by doing what she’s been doing It’s not your average school play that parents or other family members go along to and an extremely supportive team behind the cast There’s a lot of upcoming talent in this production and they need the public’s support to help them achieve more once they leave school This musical is on at the Iveshead Theatre in Shepshed until Saturday 11 May 2024. There’s limited ticket availability for the remaining performances so go ahead and buy from here Made with Squarespace This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Your chance to have a say until January 2024 on proposals The council has repeatedly highlighted the current financial pressures including a budget shortfall of well over £100m by 2027 Both Somerby and Shepshed sites cost the council significantly more per visit than more popular sites and all three sites proposed for closure take just 11% of the overall tonnage of waste disposed of Alternative sites are available within easy reach of the suggested sites for closure to ensure impact on residents is minimal including the newly refurbished site at Kibworth for residents who currently use the Market Harborough site and a reduction would bring it in line with others in the region We want to know what people think of our pragmatic proposals that make savings but also minimise any impact on residents.  “We’re the lowest funded county council in the UK and we’re doing what we can to make services as efficient as possible but the growing pressures mean we have to make tough decisions like the ones put forward here “Please complete the consultation as we really do welcome everyone’s thoughts The consultation was agreed by the county council’s cabinet meeting on 24 October and is open until Wednesday 24 January 2024 on the consultation webpage.  Several events are taking place to mark the historic event Around 7,100 pupils - 99.4% - secure a top three primary school preference Customers bought cars which were found to be faulty Assessments being made after issues with chimney spotted New video released gives snapshot of services provided by council Two Leicestershire recycling centres have been saved from closure under new plans The tips in Harborough and Shepshed will stay open according to Leicestershire County Council's latest budget with an extra £100,000 going towards the remaining waste sites The latest proposals have been announced as part of the council's 2024-28 financial plan Papers show the authority is projected to face a £83m budget gap by 2028 An extra £129m has been allocated to meet growing demand and £113m has been set aside to cover inflation and the National Living Wage increase The three tips were earmarked for closure as part of cost-saving measures in October the Shepshed tip will only be open for two days a week while the Harborough and Kibworth recycling centres share opening hours over seven days papers show the authority is still projected to face a £6m budget shortfall next year - rising to £33m in 2026 and £60m in 2027 said he welcomed the extra support from the government but said it would not help the council in years to come "It's good news that the government has listened to local government's very real and pressing concerns and we welcome the extra funding," he said "It halves the reserves we need to use to balance the books next year "But it's far from a sustainable solution and does nothing to help with the budget shortfall in later years "We remain a well-run council and have saved £262m since 2010 - but spiralling costs and service demands mean this is still the toughest budget we've ever faced." Council leader Nick Rushton said the council had been "well-run" the council has earmarked an extra £400,000 to tackle flooding and £2.7m to maintain roads and fix potholes which may lead to a reduction of about 200 jobs over the next four years The proposals will be discussed by the council's cabinet at a meeting on 9 February Three tips facing closure in cost-cutting plan Council faces 'frightening' future on funding Related internet linksLeicestershire County Council To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser View commentsFrom other local news sitesMorrisons Foundation donate over £9k to Leicester’s Mental Health Charity Ashby de la Zouch venues get five-star marks in latest food hygiene ratings for Leicestershire The ride to nowhere: Market Harborough man to take on incredible three-day cycli... Melton Mowbray prepares for annual 1940s celebration weekend ‘We are not going to let Ryhall Library go down without a fight’: Rutland Councillors discuss library’s future Weather in Ashby. 7 day forecast (5th May - 11th May) Information about BBC links to other news sitesTop storiesWinter fuel cuts were factor at elections, says minister Germany's Merz falls short of majority in vote for chancellor Conclave: How Vatican keeps its papal vote secret Experience the VE Day flypast from inside a Red Arrows cockpit in 360 video Deliveroo deal shows UK still can't hang on to big firms Americans used to be steadfast in their support for Israel. Those days are gone Attenborough at 99 delivers 'greatest message he's ever told' 'I'm an NHS dentist who took on 4,000 new patients - now I can't afford to keep them' What Canada's Mark Carney can expect when he meets Trump Royal Watch: Get the latest royal stories and analysis with Sean Coughlan’s weekly newsletter The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived Louis Theroux visits the West Bank to meet Israeli settlers Work has begun building a new school in Leicestershire.  Bowman Academy will provide support for up to 65 pupils aged five to 16 with social emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.  Based at the former site of St Botolph’s Primary School in Shepshed facilities will include a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) and a variety of classrooms as well as an outdoor dedicated outdoor learning area said "It’s exciting seeing work starting on the build and we look forward to seeing it taking shape.  “This is an important part of a wider programme to ensure provision is available to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in the county as close to their homes as possible.  “This includes both the building of special schools and creating provision in mainstream schools." The school will be run by the Community Inclusive Trust (CIT) which heads up several schools including Foxfields Academy said: “We are excited to be breaking ground here today marking the commencement of this new state-of-the-art build.  “SEMH is a unique sector of education and requires dedicated Bowman Academy will provide much-needed places for children in Shepshed and the surrounding area.” Bowman Academy is due to open in September 2024.  Work is underway on the first phase of a £17.5M extension and refurbishment project which will provide hundreds of new school places in the Shepshed area The transformation of the Shepshed schools’ campus will help meet increasing demand for school places arising from new housing developments in the area as well as the need for further places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) funded jointly by the county council and a Department for Education grant will involve work to both Iveshead School and St Botolph’s CE Primary School which share the same site off Forest Street The contractor for the work is Willmott Dixon It will see Iveshead Secondary School moved to a single building and St Botolph’s CE Primary School relocated to the former Shepshed High School’s building work at Iveshead Secondary School will also include a large refurbishment to the existing building The second phase of the project will see the former Shepshed High School building transformed into a state-of-the-at 630-place school for St Botolph’s CE Primary School The school will gradually increase places in the following years to extend its capacity from 280 to 630 places The final stage will see the Department for Education (DfE) build a new 50-place school to be called The Bowman Academy on the current St Botolph’s school site for children with social lead member for children and families at Leicestershire County Council said: “We are delighted work has begun on this key development for Shepshed and are looking forward to seeing it progress “Ensuring we are providing more school places for children of all ages and abilities particularly those with special educational needs or disabilities is a key priority for us and this scheme will help us meet growing demand in Shepshed.” said: “St Botolph's Primary School are so excited to have this great opportunity to move and expand our provision even further The new building will enable us to provide teaching and learning facilities beyond anything we could have imagined with two halls and purpose built science/cookery/art facilities not to mention the sensory room/soft play area we have planned