Developers have provided an update on a huge £100m tower that's likely to create 2,000 jobs and be Nottingham's second tallest building. Fresh plans have been revealed for a 24-storey building, which would house around 1,260 students and be built on the former site of Base 51 on Glasshouse Street in Nottingham city centre.
In addition to accommodation and communal facilities for students, the building would include a café and convenience store open to the public, as well as a reception area and community police hub. There would also be changing, toilet and shower facilities open 24 hours a day for the emergency services, according to the current unfinalised proposals.
The prospective development would create more than 2,000 construction jobs in the city alongside a small number of permanent jobs in management and maintenance of the building, which would be just behind the Victoria Centre and its flats - which would be the only taller building in Nottingham. The plans have been reduced in size from the initial designs for a 38-storey skyscraper in March 2021, which would have housed more than 1,500 students and was opposed by local conservationists and campaigners.
Read more: The newest student developments planned for Nottingham
CODE, the prospective developer of the building, already owns the site and has been undertaking some archaeological and ground investigative works. Locals have recently reported sighting workers in the area, who CODE explained were checking ground conditions to allow the development process to move forward as soon as possible should planning permission be granted.
They added the project would inject "life and vibrancy" in the area around Glasshouse Street, Huntingdon Street and Cairns Street. Nottingham residents have previously spoken about how this part of the city had become neglected, despite an influx of student accommodation.
A spokesperson for CODE said: “As part of the planning process we have been in extensive discussions with Nottingham City Council regarding our proposals for purpose built student accommodation at this site. This is a derelict site which has been consistently identified as a location suitable for a tall building since 2005 by the City Council.
"Taking on board the discussions with the Council since February 2021 and further expert design input obtained, we have reduced the height and massing of our initial scheme to achieve a striking, high-quality design that we consider will be a positive addition to the city. We have now launched a consultation on our latest plans to allow the public to view the current proposals and provide feedback to inform the planning application for the final proposals.
"CODE own and operate their sites in other cities and have been awarded ‘Best Student Provider’ in the UK for several years by the National Student Housing Survey. As such, we would ensure that the scheme would be well managed and would make a positive contribution to the local environment and community.
"That positive contribution would include ground level commercial uses, such as a café and supermarket, as well as a community police hub and welfare facilities for all the emergency services open 24 hours a day.”
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