Nottingham City Council has selected nationally renowned developer Keepmoat to create over 100 new affordable homes in The Meadows.
The homes, which are set to be built on council land will be delivered as part of the council’s plan to build 2,500 new affordable homes to rent or buy over the next four years.
The new development will use brownfield land and will be the largest housing development seen in the neighbourhood since the 1970s, helping to transform Arkwright Walk, which forms a key link from Trent Bridge into the city.
The redevelopment also includes a well-positioned site at nearby Blackstone Walk, located next to a new stop on the city’s recently expanded tram network and overlooking the Green Flag awarded Queen’s Walk Park.
The scheme will provide much needed family houses for sale in a range of sizes to suit different households and budgets, with a number of apartments being built at either end of Arkwright Walk. The developer will also implement highways and public realm improvements along Arkwright Walk to enhance accessibility while creating a welcoming and attractive route for pedestrians and cyclists travelling to and from the city centre from the south by re-opening an historic through-route for pedestrians and cyclists to provide a gateway to the city centre from the south.
Councillor Graham Chapman, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration, said: “The Meadows is already seeing the benefits of significant investment through private sector and council housing developments, the recent refurbishment of the historic Embankment Club and the newly extended tram network. Our attention now turns to regenerating the Arkwright Walk area of The Meadows which has an opportunity to become a well-connected and attractive part of the city with a genuinely mixed community.”
Keepmoat was selected through an open tender process to secure private sector development on a parcel of eight sites in The Meadows. Other sites being developed in the neighbourhood include a scheme of sale, rent and shared ownership houses in the Hobart Close area by developer Blueprint, which is nearing completion, and new high quality council houses and bungalows in the Bosworth Walk area.
Councillor Chapman added: “I am extremely pleased to announce Keepmoat as our preferred developer for this area of The Meadows. They are a developer with a national reputation for producing quality development and they have a proven track record for providing quality housing in our city already on sites at Highbury Road, Kingsthorpe Close and Stonebridge to name a few.
“Alongside our plans to re-open Arkwright Walk as a pedestrian and cyclist through-route in spring 2016 the scheme will help to rejuvenate this gateway area of The Meadows., The new homes to be built on Blackstone Walk will have excellent access to Nottingham’s newly expanded tram network and will be built on a site which partially overlooks one the city’s great parks.”
Councillor Jane Urquhart, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, added: “This is an exciting time for The Meadows and a real opportunity to enhance connectivity and maximise the regeneration potential of the area. New private sector properties will further increase the range and type of homes as the neighbourhood continues to go from strength to strength.
“The council is committed to building 2,500 new affordable homes to buy or rent over the next four years and together with the council’s own council housing build programme, which is the biggest in 40 years, the new homes in The Meadows will help towards meeting our target.”
Shaun Fielding, Partnership Director for Keepmoat Homes added “Arkwright Walk is another key regeneration opportunity for the city and we’re understandably proud to have won the tender. Over the next few months we’ll work with all stakeholders and refine our plans to make sure our scheme addresses the architectural quality such an important site demands and that new homes are affordable for those wishing to buy in the area”.
Construction works on the new homes is expected to start in early 2017, following clearance of the existing sites, public consultation on the proposals and the developer seeking and obtaining the necessary planning approvals