Cranes in the air across the Southside area of Nottingham aren’t just there for the Broadmarsh redevelopment programme, as private sector developments are gathering pace in the city off the back of extensive investment in the city.
A variety of developments have either already started or are in the pipeline for 2020, with private developers seeing the opportunities and growth in the Southside area, where £2 billion of redevelopment over a 0.5 square mile area is planned to create a better area to work, live, learn and play in.
The variety of developments in Nottingham over the last few years, including improvements to the public realm outside Nottingham Station and ongoing improvements to the Broadmarsh area, have encouraged private developers that Nottingham is a growing city worth investing in, with one retail expert from Barclays Corporate Banking suggesting Nottingham should prepare itself for a boost in footfall from across the Midlands when Broadmarsh is completed.
Historic buildings in the Carrington Street area have benefited from Townscape Heritage Scheme grants. The scheme, which is supported by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has allowed important historical features such as shop fronts to be preserved and restored, transforming this key entrance into the city back into the impressive gateway it once was. In the same area, the scaffolding is down at City Buildings, the former Redmayne and Todd building, which has been restored and sensitively lit, providing much needed Grade A office space in a prime location near Nottingham Station.
To the south of the Station heading towards the Meadows, a range of apartment buildings are either built, underway or soon to begin. The Laceworks and Saffron Court are practically complete, with 222 student bed spaces at The Laceworks and 350 apartments at Saffron Court. Plans are also being consulted on for around 350 high quality apartments immediately next to Nottingham’s Station on Queen’s Road, along with a major mixed use development on the corner of Queen’s Road and London Road, providing a hotel, student accommodation and private accommodation ranging in height from 8 storeys to 22 storeys.
Chainey Place, on the junction of Crocus Street and London Road, will progress in the New Year, with 150 apartments for young professionals and received high praise from Nottingham City Council’s Planning Committee. One scheme which previously proposed a mix of student and privately rented accommodation has now changed to 320 managed apartments for the private rental sector given the current and anticipated demand for apartments for young professionals in Nottingham.
Up London Road, towards the city centre, is the Island Site which will see homes, offices, a five star hotel, market space, a new park and student accommodation built on the 40 acre site in phases, along with works to create 85 apartments on London Road roundabout at the former petrol station.
Councillor David Mellen, Leader of the City Council, said: “We have always said that if we build it, they will come and that has proven to be the case. The investment the city council has put in to the city, including NET Phase 2, Nottingham Station and Station Street to the present day developments in the Broadmarsh area, have brought private developers into the city at an unprecedented rate.
“The redevelopment of the Southside area has already seen over a thousand jobs created in the early phases of the Broadmarsh redevelopment programme, half of which have gone to Nottingham and Nottinghamshire residents. Further developments will see more jobs created, more homes, things to do and greater public areas which in turn will generate economic growth and attract more visitors to our revamped and expanded city centre.”