Concerns have been voiced about plans for a massive new building that is being seen as part of an 'aggressive wall' across Nottingham.
The proposed large student development would range between six and 20 levels in height and be located on Wilford Road near Nottingham Railway Station, close to a set of vast new student flats blocks in Traffic Street.
Worries were expressed even before the full application was submitted, with people having reservations about the building's size and its impact on the city's landscape.
Hilary Silvester, executive chair of the Nottingham Civic Society, said: "When's it going to all end, here we go again. What are they doing to our proud city, it's terrible.
"It is cutting off the Meadows, which years ago they wanted to keep connected to the south side, this isn't regenerating the south side it's actually dropping it off from the city.
"It gives the impression that we're just leaving the south to its own devices, the south had been neglected and we had hoped it would more included in the life of the city.
"It's just increasing the size of this aggressive wall that I have talked about before, whatever is the city if you can't see the very distinctive city skyline - that says this is Nottingham."
City council figures have shown there is a need for more student flats across Nottingham.
The proposed new block of flats will include 356 student bedrooms and comprise of studio and cluster flats.
Ms Silvester added: "This could be any new development in any big city, but we're not a Birmingham or a Manchester, we are a historic city which become the regional capital and now we're losing out.
"We were a historic regional capital and now we're becoming a regional capital for students."
The developers Jensco, and architects CPMG, have supported their application by arguing that the building would be a "landmark building that reflects Nottingham".
Chris White, director at CPMG, said: “Nottingham is leading the way as a sustainable city, and we’ve thought very carefully about the choice of materials and the setting of this design.
"The plans have a strong focus on enhancing and supporting the local ecology, including the planting of wildlife-friendly native species such as crocuses, which were historically harvested on the site.”
Architects at CPMG have also been working with Jensco Group on a separate £35m student flats block in nearby Traffic Street.
Planning agent Planning and Design Group, on behalf of Jensco said: "The application is meeting an identified need for purpose-built student accommodation, in the south side area allocated in the adopted Local Plan for the establishment of a new community including such land uses.
"On this particular site, the policy basis is for a landmark building that reflects Nottingham as a progressive and enterprising City.
"We are confident that the layout and architectural quality of this scheme will bring a sense of renewed purpose to this area, as a destination and welcoming place to live and visit.
"The application, including its scale, has been tested by independent professional consultants whose conclusions have informed the submitted design.
"Not only will the scheme extensively contribute to investment in local infrastructure, the public realm and in the Meadows, it also meets the proposed affordable housing requirements in full.
"This is one of the first proposed developments in the city, if not the first, to do so."
The new building in Wilford Road would be half the height of a staggering 40-storey block of flats earmarked for the former Base 51 site off Huntingdon Street and Glasshouse Street.
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