After months of debate, plans have been approved to convert the former Nottingham College site in Beeston into student accommodation. The scheme will create 162 student apartments.
The site in High Road, Beeston was bought in 2020 by Nottingham based ALB Group for an undisclosed sum. After 10 months of wrangling, Broxtowe Borough Planning Committee approved the plans on Monday, July 25.
The scheme first went to a planning committee in July 2021, and was set aside until the next committee hearing in September. Arran Bailey, managing director at ALB Group said: "Despite having the full support of the planning officers and the head of planning at the committee last September, we lost out by one vote, and started the planning appeal process which has set us back 11 months. It took a massive toll on the company, and it resulted in me having to let people go."
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Simon Birch, director at CBP Architects, said he was looking forward to moving the scheme onto the construction phase. While Paul Brailsford’s (National Head of Planning and Environment) at Freeths LLP, who advised on the planning appeal, added: “It is very pleasing that the Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State to determine the appeal has granted planning permission so that the development can now proceed without further delay.
"The Inspector acknowledged the sustainable credentials of the proposal and following a thorough analysis of all of the issues concluded that there would be no unacceptable impacts on the local area noting that the Council had acted unreasonably in refusing planning permission as they had failed to provide any evidence to support their position. With the appellants costs for the appeal to be paid in full by the Council this is the best possible outcome.”
Arran Bailey added: "We are over the moon to get to this point and happy that we have also been awarded costs. We cannot wait to get started on site with immediate effect, and make up for lost time on this project. It is our aim that the first apartments will be ready in September 2023".
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