People in The Meadows say their rapidly-changing city suburb could eventually "become like West Bridgford". They have shared their thoughts on whether or not they think the area has become gentrified as, with low-house prices, people are noticing that prospective buyers from other areas are now choosing The Meadows to buy a house.
Naturally, it has been said that people “gravitate” towards cheaper areas. Over the last year, properties in The Meadows had an overall average of £206,550.
In The Meadows, rent varies from £375 pcm to £7,367 pcm, and an average price of £1,194 pcm. Some residents know it better than anyone a they have lived for years. Marie Tulway, 69, is one of them - she's called it home for 40 years.
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Marie, who is a shop assistant, has noticed a change in The Meadows. She said: “You have more and more people in the area who don’t live here but are buying houses and renting them out because it’s cheaper.
“You can’t blame them because being a landlord is a job at the end of the day but these people who live in these houses won’t be the ones campaigning for the area and have our issues at heart.”
Marie continued and said: “The area has definitely become redeveloped and supposedly wealthier people from different backgrounds are coming in but this isn’t attracting new businesses. It's no lie that housing here has improved.
“People do see The Meadows as an opportunity to buy a house.”
Andrew Marsden has had his butcher shop in The Meadows for 23 years. The butcher is on 11 Bridgeway Centre. Andrew feels that The Meadows hasn’t necessarily become gentrified but people “gravitate to where they can afford.”
He said: “This happens in any area of Britain. My son is moving to live on the border of Hackney and Mile End where the cost of renting is high. The NG2 will attract people because it’s cheaper, that’s the marketing economy for you.
“For those who can’t afford town or West Bridgford, they may come here. People gravitate to where it's cheaper and what they can afford.
“There’s the train station, we’re by the edge of the river, The Meadows is close to town and there’s sports facilities.”
Michael Leap, 86 is now retired. Michael has lived in The Meadows since 1954 - bought his house 45 years ago for around £34,000.
He said: “The new houses are a lot better than the ones that were in the Old Meadows. The old ones were really dampy and bad. Eventually, I think The Meadows could become like West Bridgford.
“With the old houses, I saw the lot knocked down and I think people were happy when they were, we had no cameras, low wages, we had nothing, just struggles and then new people came in.”
Michael continued: “People used to criticise The Meadows but I never did, it’s always been an area where people help one another.” He added: “I don’t think the new developments will drive people out of the area.”
Arlowe Ray, 44 lives in The Meadows. Arlowe doesn’t feel like the area has become gentrified he said: “All areas of Nottingham have had housing developments, that’s what happens.
“In some areas, toilets used to be outside and of course, you wouldn’t get that now. I think that slowly The Meadows could become gentrified as more and more people outside the area come to live here but as for right now, no, it’s just like any other area.”
Labour councillor for The Meadows Ward, Michael Edwards has said: “The Meadows was home to 11,000 in February 2021 and has since become home to another 1,000 students as well as new homes at Trent Bridge Quays, on Traffic Street and at Midland House.
“Commercial developers are looking to provide bedrooms for another 1,000 students, and have planning permission for around 600 or so (from memory) apartments and are seeking planning permission for 141 apartments by the Fire Station . Despite the need, an application for hundreds of apartments on Queens Road was referred back last month – the architecture has got to have some merit.
“There is limited opportunity for more housing within The Meadows, despite the need (sites include the former Old Toll Bridge Pub site, the former Collygate school, the former Three Bridges pub and off Launder Street).
"So what is the need? The waiting list for Nottingham City Council housing is 7,000 long and would be longer if council could provide more. A pro rata share for The Meadows might be about 300. We know people place value in a council tenancy and we would like to provide more. Even though the council makes a surplus on providing a renting service, there are government restrictions on what we can buy and provide, and some of our newest housing has already been lost to Right to Buy.
"Such restrictions limited the amount of new council housing provided during the long-planned replacement of stacked maisonettes recently (known as “Q-blocks”). A neighbourhood consultation on how to redevelop these parts of The Meadows was undertaken over 15 years ago and the steer then was for more owner-occupied housing for the sons and daughters of The Meadows and this shaped the re-development. People sometimes refer to this as gentrification, but society has changed and changed again, and as a vision for The Meadows was set, this consultation was a driver in providing more owner-occupied housing.”
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