By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
A developer will now be allowed to press ahead with plans for an eight-storey student block in Beeston town centre after winning an appeal.
The 419-bed building had been planned in Station Road as part of the multi-million pound Beeston Square redevelopment.
At a Broxtowe Borough Council planning meeting on July 27 last year the plans, submitted by Cassidy Group, were rejected by local councillors.
Council officers had at the time warned the applicant could win on appeal, leaving the authority with significant costs.
Despite this councillors unanimously refused planning permission for the site.
Cllr Steve Carr (Lib Dem) had said it would be a “disaster” for the centre of Beeston if the plans were approved.
Cassidy Group then took the the decision to the Planning Inspectorate for appeal, and the plans have now been given the green light as of June 20 this year.
The Beeston Civic Society told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the news is “disappointing”.
Previously, plans for 132 apartments on the site were approved for general use, but these were then altered as to accommodate students.
The society said: “We totally disagree with the appeal being upheld by Planning Inspectorate, and are bitterly disappointed that the many voices of locals who know best what our town needs and doesn’t need have been ignored.
“We were told we’d have an iconic gateway building to our town, with homes for local residents to live in.
“This development is neither of those things and should be refused to progress further.
“Beeston doesn’t need it, and it’s a broken promise.”
The Beeston Civic Society is now calling on Broxtowe’s Conservative MP, Darren Henry, and Secretary of State, Michael Gove, to intervene.
A petition has also been signed by almost 1,000 people.
Meanwhile Cassidy Group says there are currently no Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) buildings in Beeston, and argued students living in Beeston currently reside in family homes which have been converted into flats or Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
Liam Brennan, of Cassidy Group, said: “We want to reassure the Beeston community that we are committed to creating a building which will benefit the local area a great deal, using sustainable materials and being sensitive to the town centre in terms of what is already there.
“As we have said before, our scheme will offer something fantastic for local students who are currently living in houses in multiple occupation (HMO) in Beeston and this can create problems for people trying to buy in the town.
“Our scheme will help free up homes for families to live in and encourage the use of public transport.
“Beeston has fantastic infrastructure, and the new development is designed to enhance that. We’re excited to see this site, which has sat derelict for so long, finally be the home of something exciting for Beeston.”
The appeal decision comes as Nottingham City Council has lifted a restriction on the use of a parcel of land located in Beeston town centre, to enable the developer of the site, Cassidy Group, to build a residential scheme.
The land had been purchased as part of the NET extension into Beeston, however it was not used.
Opening up the land to Cassidy will generate a significant sum for the council according to delegated decision documents published on June 20.
