By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
A block of flats for 90 students could be built on top of a Nottingham car park where dozens of medieval tanning pits dating back to the 15th Century were discovered.
Plans were first submitted in 2017 for a number of student flats on a temporary car park at the junctions of London Road, Canal Street and Pemberton Street.
Excavations took place in 2019 to determine what measures were required to mitigate the impacts of a development on any archaeological finds.
During excavations 31 tanning pits, where animal hides were treated and turned into leather, were discovered.
The clay-lined pits date back to the 15th and 17th Century.
More than 5,000 animal bones and fragments were also found, including cattle horns, relating to the production of leather.
“From the 13th Century up until the early 20th Century, the Narrow Marsh was a poor and overcrowded part of the city that was utilised for animal grazing, water transport and procurement via the Leen, waste disposal and numerous industrial activities,” a report from Trent & Peak Archaeology, now York
Archaeology, says.
“Tanning was a major industry in the area, as indicated by documentary records and previous archaeological finds in the area.”
A total of 47 tanning yards were recorded in the area by AD 1664 and more than 100 master tanners were known to operate in the area by 1667.
The profession entered a period of decline afterwards, owing to the rise of the lace trade, and Narrow Marsh was converted into Victorian tenement housing before its clearance in the 1920s and 30s.
“A large complex of medieval to post-medieval (15th to 17th Century) clay-lined tanning pits, 31 in total, were identified on the site during excavation,” the archaeological report adds.
“Animal bone dominates the finds assemblage of this site, with in excess of 5,000 bone fragments recovered.
“The assemblage was dominated by sheep foot bones, attesting to large-scale processing of sheep skins on the site, a process known as tawing, or its immediate vicinity.
“Smaller amounts of cattle bones, of which more than half were horn cores were present, representing potential evidence of horn working and or leather processing.
“Horse, cat and dog bones may also represent animals used for their hides or fur.”
The accommodation block plans started out life as a 67-bed scheme in 2017, before changing to 85 beds in 2021.
In 2022 a pre-application submission was made for a 100-bed block, and in May this year a pre-application submission was made for 93 beds.
A full planning application has now been submitted by BNM Finley House Limited for 90 beds, with determination expected in January next year.
Planning documents say: “The previous proposal, which seemed sensible when carrying out a contextual study, taking the neighbouring buildings as a guide, was initially deemed to be overbearing so the the massing has been reduced further.
“The pre-application process highlighted some issues and concerns with the initial design which were primarily centred around the height of the building, and window treatment.”
The designs of the block have since been reviewed.
The flats will be set out in four-bed clusters and feature kitchens, a café, study space, a cinema room, gym and office space for management staff, if approved by Nottingham City Council.
