By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
A revised design for a new tower block featuring 274 apartments has been submitted to Nottingham City Council after councillors rejected the initial proposal due to concerns about the look of the building.
The applicant, MRP Nottingham Ltd, had been planning to build a 22-storey block at the junction of Queen’s Road and London Road, where a number of commercial units had been based.
It was to go hand-in-hand with a 12-storey block, purpose built for 406 students, before Nottingham councillors deferred the proposals during a planning committee meeting in October 2022 due to design concerns.
At the time Cllr Graham Chapman (Lab), a member of the planning committee, said: “This is a gateway building, it is one of the gateways into the city from the east, and therefore it is even more imperative that is has some quality.
“I just think we have got to send this back to the drawing board.”
After making amendments, the developer resubmitted its plans for the student block on its own, and permission for the L-shaped building was granted in December.
This student building is on target for completion in August this year.
Revised plans have now been submitted for the residential tower, with its height having been reduced from 22 storeys.
A section of the building will now reach heights of 18 storeys, while another will be eight-storeys in height.
“The proposed development comprises a hybrid residential building, part eight-storey and part 18-storey, containing 274 dwellings,” a planning statement says.
There will be a mix of one to five-bed apartments for rent, with a ground-floor café and meeting rooms.
Communal open space on the eight floor will also be provided for residents in the form of an roof terrace. This will provide covered seating and ‘co-working pods’.
On the roof of the 18-storey section, solar panels will be installed alongside a green roof to help increase biodiversity.
This will include wood piles, wildflowers and ‘insect hotels’.
According to the developer, the design has been informed by discussions with Nottingham City Council’s officers and members.
“The proposed development will create a new landmark building on the eastern side of the site, designed to maximise the potential of this gateway location into Nottingham from the south,” the planning statement adds.
“The proposed development respects the historic context and surrounding buildings that have evolved as part of Nottingham’s historical industrial
development.
“A warm palette of brick, metal and glass has been chosen which has regard to
the traditional materials used in the nearby Hicking Building and the Grade II listed Midland Railway Station.
“This is consistent with the approach taken in new developments in the surrounding areas such as The Barnum, The Laceworks and the Island Quarter where red brick has been used to reinforce the character of the local area.”
Plans will be considered by the council in due course.
