A former Victorian school building could be turned into student flats under new plans.
Real estate specialists Bmor, BITG and Sam Burt have submitted plans to create 158 student bedrooms in three buildings centred around the former Radford Boulevard Board School building in Nottingham.
The imposing red brick school on the corner of Lenton Boulevard and Ilkeston Road in Radford, was built in the late 19th century.
It was most recently used by city council workers and community groups but has fallen into disrepair and was put up for sale by Nottingham City Council in 2018.
The joint venture between the three investors would see extensive repairs to the façade and interior, with newer, 20th century buildings on the site demolished in favour of buildings they say are “more in-keeping with the original style”.
The three buildings that make up the plans include the existing former school, a new build extension, and a gate house. There will also be communal facilities, a reception office and shared courtyard garden.
The design has been drawn up by Nottingham architecture practice Leonard Design and the site is close to the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent university campuses.
James O’Brien, head of planning at Bmor, said: “We are thrilled to have submitted planning for this exciting redevelopment of one of Nottingham’s landmark buildings.
“It seems fitting that the building has been used as a school for many years and will hopefully become home to students coming to the city.
“With more than 65,000 students in the city, we want to offer purpose-built housing that is top quality and provides a secure environment from which to study, as well as freeing up the suburbs for growing families.
“We’re therefore very excited about these proposals and look forward to hearing the verdict.”
Leonard Design director John Morgan said: “The proposed designs have been considered to ensure that the development is not only fit for purpose but adds to the townscape value.
“The school building is a fantastic structure, so we’re delighted to restore it to its former glory with a restored heritage façade and a full interior refurbishment.
“The two new buildings have been designed with a similar brick and influenced by the style of the original building to ensure a cohesive site.
“We also really thought about what students would want from this scheme and have therefore included plenty of amenity space as well as an external landscaped garden for them to enjoy.
“The site is also very close to the city centre and both universities so there will be bike sheds for students to safety store their bikes.
“Students are key to the population mix in Nottingham thanks to our two distinguished universities.
“They are the lifeblood of a city centre, bringing essential footfall to the city when we need it most and by investing in empty, derelict buildings we can reinvigorate key areas of Nottingham.”
Bmor is a residential developer with extensive experience across the Midlands, while BTIG is a build-to-rent developer-landlord working in the Midlands and across the North of England.
Sam Burt is responsible for a number of sites across the city, including the transformation of the iconic Grove Pub in Castle Boulevard and a site in Sneinton Market.
