What's being built in Nottingham
Station View Court, Arkwright Street (Meadows). Cassidy Group is targeting a Q4 2026 start on 319 build-to-rent apartments, with Winvic Construction as main contractor and phased completions from late summer 2028. The scheme has £7.2m of East Midlands Combined County Authority Brownfield Housing Fund grant (Cassidy Group, October 2026).
- Bulwell. Nottingham Community Housing Association has started a £23m scheme for 102 affordable homes on the former Henry Mellish School site on Kersall Drive and the Piccadilly playing field: 68 for social rent and 34 shared ownership, all built to at least EPC A. Owl Partnerships is lead contractor on both sites (NCHA).
- Broad Marsh. Homes England appointed DSM Demolition to clear the former college site and NCP car park, due to finish by mid-2027. DSM has committed to creating local jobs, and Homes England is still seeking a development partner for the wider site (East Midlands Combined County Authority, August 2026).
- Stalled for now: Island Quarter. In August 2026 the Nottingham Post reported that a 394-bed student block at the £1.4bn scheme hadn't started and planning for a large bioscience facility had expired (Nottingham Post).
Our read: housing, demolition and enabling works dominate right now, which suits labourers, demolition operatives, groundworkers and bricklayers.
Nottingham-area test centres
| Centre | Postcode | Finding it (Pearson listing) |
|---|---|---|
| Pearson Professional Centres-UK Nottingham, Chiltern House, 25 Castle Gate | NG1 7AR | From the Broadmarsh up Lister Gate, then about 200m along Castle Gate |
| UK Industries Training (ITC), 155 Glaisdale Road, Bilborough | NG8 4GY | Not given |
| Pearson Professional Centres-UK Derby, 100 Mansfield Road | DE1 3TT | About 15 minutes' walk from Derby bus station |
Pearson says the Castle Gate test room is at the rear of number 25. UK Industries Training in Bilborough is on CITB's Internet Test Centre map. To book, call 0344 994 4488 or go through CITB's booking page, and be there 15 minutes ahead with ID. Pearson VUE lists more East Midlands slots.
Getting the green card
The Basford course covers the first requirement, the Level 1 award (CSCS). You then sit CITB's Operatives test at £23.50, needing 45 of 50 correct (CITB), and apply for the £36 card on your phone through My CSCS (CSCS).
A first card runs for two years, with renewal tied to an employer declaration (CSCS). Contractors, not the law, make it compulsory (CSCS FAQs).
Training at Nottingham College
Health and Safety in a Construction Environment (BTEC Level 1 Award, 19+, part time). This is the classroom-based qualification new labourers need for the card, taught at Basford, 664 Nuthall Road, NG8 6AQ. The listed fee is £150, but tuition fees may be waived for people on certain benefits or a low income (Nottingham College). Check each start date's session pattern on the course page.
Listed November starts include 2, 3, 5 and 6 November 2026 (Nottingham College).
Later starts are listed for 30 November and 3 December 2026 (Nottingham College).
Construction Skills Centre, Basford. The college invested £1.2m in a new skills centre at a campus it calls the region's largest construction training facility, adding room for up to around 1,000 16 to 18-year-olds a year on top of its adults and apprentices (Nottingham College).
Nottingham apprenticeships
Basford is also where Nottingham College trains its construction apprentices (Nottingham College). Use the gov.uk apprenticeship finder to look across Nottinghamshire. With no experience and aged 16 to 21, a foundation apprenticeship is the entry route (apprenticeships.gov.uk). A 3% apprentice minimum on big government building jobs has been announced but not detailed (Construction News).
First steps with no experience
- Book the Level 1 course and ask about a fee waiver.
- Pass the test and apply for the card in the My CSCS app.
- Contact Winvic, Owl Partnerships and DSM Demolition. DSM has publicly committed to local jobs. Demolition labouring means dust, noise and strict exclusion zones, so be sure it suits you.
- Get on agency books along the M1, and check whether you're PAYE or CIS. Under CIS your contractor deducts 20%, or 30% unregistered (GOV.UK).
- Search Find a Job for Nottingham firms.
Getting to Nottingham sites
Arkwright Street is in the Meadows, south of the city centre. Broad Marsh is in the centre, and Bulwell is in the north of the city. Check the first tram or bus before accepting a 7am start.
Pay
There's no official Nottingham rate. As an England-wide guide, labourers earn £23,000 to £35,000 according to the National Careers Service. Bear in mind self-employed work has no holiday pay (GOV.UK).
Frequently asked questions
Where can I do the Level 1 health and safety course in Nottingham?
Nottingham College runs the BTEC Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment for adults at Basford, 664 Nuthall Road. The listed fee is £150, which may be waived for people on certain benefits or a low income (Nottingham College).
Where's the Nottingham CITB test room?
At Chiltern House, Castle Gate, NG1 7AR, about 200 metres along Castle Gate from Lister Gate (Pearson VUE).
Who is building in Bulwell?
Owl Partnerships is lead contractor on NCHA's £23m, 102-home affordable scheme (NCHA).
What's happening at Broad Marsh?
DSM Demolition is clearing the former college site and NCP car park for Homes England, with completion due by mid-2027 (East Midlands Combined County Authority).
Nottingham jobs and projects
Brownfield schemes appear in planning before contractors hire. On building-jobs.co.uk you can see Nottingham's live jobs and upcoming projects, as well as labouring jobs in Nottingham, demolition jobs in Nottingham and bricklaying jobs in Nottingham.
Correct as of 30 October 2026. Course dates fill up and change, so check Nottingham College's page before you book.
How we research these guides: sources, dates and corrections — read the method.