18-storey hotel and new homes planned at Nottingham Island Quarter site

Artist impression of the new developments proposed for the Island Quarter site
By Matt Jarram, Local Democracy Reporter

Major plans to transform derelict land around Nottingham Island Quarter including an 18-storey hotel will be decided next week.

Councillors will meet on Wednesday, May 18, to decide the future of one of the key development sites in the city centre.

Developers plan to create a mixed-use commercial development on the site just off London Road including the building of a large hotel, apartments, office space and retail units.

The application site is located to the north of The Great Northern Close, with the Low Level Station (Virgin Active) and Great Northern Warehouse Grade II listed buildings to the south.

The application submitted by AXIS on behalf of Conygar Nottingham Ltd  proposes a ‘mixed-use development’ of the site for a hotel tower of 18 storeys with a further block of 9/10 storey apartments and a connecting atrium space.

The proposed development would include a 223-room hotel and roof terrace; 247 build-to-rent apartments with a podium roof terrace; co-working office space and associated facilities; ground floor car and cycle parking, temporary car parking; and off-site highway improvements to Manvers Street.

The proposed 247 build-to-rent apartment blocks would comprise of 86 two-bed apartments, 154 one-bed apartments and seven studio apartments.

The first floor would contain a residents’ lounge, yoga studio, screening room, kitchen, and library.

The ground and first floors of the proposed development would have a range of food and drink outlets for use by residents and the public, to be named collectively as the ‘Forum’.

This space is also intended to accommodate a food market, which would include dining space, fixed and ‘pop-up’ food and drinks.

The proposed co-working office space would be located on Levels one-four at the base of the hotel providing desk space and meeting rooms.

The second floor of the co-working space would feature an external terrace, overlooking the Hotel Plaza and Canal Turn building.

Artist impression of the hotel at the Island Quarter site

A section of Linear Park would be a new area of public open space running along the southern front of the proposed building, and would include a dedicated cycle route.

A new Island Street would be located at the eastern end of the proposed development and would be a pedestrian-priority area..

Reports prepared for the planning meeting said the employment the site will create makes a “vital contribution to meeting the economic development aims of the city council.”

It also says the new homes make “a significant contribution to meeting the housing requirements” of the city.

Nottingham Civic Society has objected to the proposal partly because of reservations about the height of the building.

The society says it is “too tall” and “a site for unnecessary, unsustainable, intrusive lighting in the night sky.”

Officers have recommended that the plans are granted planning permission. Councillors will meet to decide the fate of the scheme on May 18.