Plans have come to light to demolish an old Nottingham cinema to build a student housing block in its place.
Zen developer Nottingham Limited will demolish the old cinema building on Queen’s Road to build a new six- to nine-storey tower.
The former cinema-auditorium is located south of Nottingham station, close to the NET tram bridge and the 10-storey Picture Works residential building.
A total of 31 studios and 50 beds in shared rooms will be provided.
The task was unanimously approved at an assembly of the plan-making committee on Wednesday, August 21.
Committee member Kirsty Jones (Lab) welcomed the transformation of the site, inhabited for several years through the deserted cinema building.
The building permit for a similar nine- and six-storey building, comprising 39 homes and shops, was first granted in September 2020.
However, this project, developed through the developer, has not moved forward.
The student’s new assignment was referred to the planning committee because it deviated from the council’s local planning policies.
Cllr Andrew Rule (Ind) said: “This is a departure from what was originally planned to be residential.
“Does this mean that, in the broader context of external progressions, a student progression will be replaced by a residential [project] to compensate for this?
Planning director Rob Percival responded: “No, all the sites are independent, so there is that link. This is a suitable alternative.
Planning officials said the allocation of students made sense on Queen’s Road, due to the presence of several student accommodation complexes in the area, which will be in close proximity to the University of Nottingham’s new Castle Meadow campus.
The university of São Paulo has established this site, which previously served as HMRC’s offices, in 2021.
Percival added that he believes the existing mix of residential and student blocks on Queen’s Road and near Traffic Street “has worked quite well. “
“We’re confident that the right balance is being struck in terms of mix of uses across the area,” he said.
The developer will make a monetary contribution of £176,018 towards housing in lieu provision on the site, as well as £106,460 towards the provision or improvement of public open areas off the site and a local employment and education contribution of £22,595.
Councils sometimes grant permission to make plans to developers on the condition that they give a financial contribution, through a Section 106 agreement, to projects that gain advantages on the wider network and reduce the project’s impact.
Cllr Rule praised the officials for getting the cash, adding, “I welcome Section 106 cash. “
• Objections mount over plans to demolish two Victorian houses in West Bridgford