Nottinghamshire County Council is now stepping-up testing on the Summit Park development site to offer free tests for the 700 workers.

Jonathan Gribbin, Director of Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “The Council’s public health team has been monitoring the situation at the site.

“In conjunction with our partners in the National Institute of Health Protection, Ashfield District Council, and the local NHS, we have stepped up our testing strategy.

“Nottinghamshire County Council has been working closely with the main contracting employer at the site, Bowmer + Kirkland in order to make testing available. Bowmer + Kirkland has already put in place a high standard of on-site safety measures.”

Work recently stopped on the job to implement a deep clean after the first positive cases.

Bowmer + Kirkland Group Construction Director, David Scorer, said: “The health and safety of our workforce is our absolute priority and we are working closely with Nottinghamshire County Council Public Health Teams and the NHS to introduce this testing facility.

“There are between 600-700 people working at the Summit Park site so we have reinforced our rigorous and effective control measures, including social distancing working practices, removal of canteen facilities, additional deep cleaning and discouraging car sharing.

“Our workplace induction programmes include comprehensive Covid-19 secure guidance that everyone on site must adhere to.

“The testing facility will be a very welcome addition to the existing measures we have in place so we can identify any further positive cases and take action as necessary.”