Homes plans for former nightclub face rejection
PLANS for apartment blocks on a nightclub site and next to a former cinema are set to be rejected.
The application, from Nottingham firm Astogna Ltd, would see 16 apartments built in two three-storey blocks off Oxford Street and Derby Road, Long Eaton.
One block of five apartments would face Derby Road, next to the former Galaxy Row cinema and would see the disused Stage One club demolished.
The second 11-apartment block would face Oxford Street and sit next to the FastFit AutoCentre.
A central courtyard would be created between the two proposed structures. Initial proposals had been for five-storey structures similar in height to the former cinema, however, these have been tweaked for three-storey buildings matching the height of No 43 Derby Road – a shop fittings store.
A final decision will be made by Erewash Borough Council tomorrow. Its planning officers have recommended the plans are refused due to flooding concerns and because the new building would block upper windows on a neighbouring business in Oxford Street.
However, officials detail in a report to be discussed at the meeting that the scheme is only appearing before councillors because “it affects the Long Eaton Town Deal ‘Galaxy Row’ project”. The council submitted a successful £25 million bid to the Government’s Town Deal Fund and a large part of that project is to redevelop the former Galaxy Row cinema, including properties to the rear in Oxford Street, which will see the autocentre demolished.
It is believed the Galaxy Row scheme, which would include the No 43 shop and the former Stage One club, would cost between £5 million and £9 million. The council intends to convert the former cinema, which opened in 1907 as the St James Theatre, into apartments, townhouses and “commercial” space for shops and businesses. The garage would be flattened to make way for townhouses. A central courtyard between the garage and cinema would be created to give new residents some outdoor space.
This appears to show two similar housing schemes sitting next to each other, but with overlapping plots – both seeking use of No 43 Derby Road and the former Stage One club. Astogna’s plans would see three one-bedroom apartments on the ground floor of the Oxford Street property, with four onebedroom apartments on the first floor and second floor respectively.
The Derby Road property would include a ground floor shop with a onebedroom flat at the back, along with two two-bedroom flats on the first floor and two one-bedroom flats on the second floor. The site would have eight car parking spaces.
A statement by the developer says: “The proposed block of apartments utilises the site efficiently. It creates active frontage to both the Derby Road and the Oxford Street street scene, whilst maintaining a commercial presence to a busy primary road and car park vehicle access to a tertiary back road. The proposed design sustainably creates 16 new residential dwellings. As such full planning permission should be granted without delay.”
The Environment Agency has objected to the plans, citing the lack of a sufficient flood risk assessment to ensure residents would be kept safe against potential flooding. It says the development including ground floor sleeping accommodation (one apartment in the Derby Road building) in a high-risk flood zone is not acceptable.
The county council says the lack of parking is “not ideal”.
Borough council officers say the level of harm caused by the Oxford Street building blocking the upper windows of the knitting factory would warrant refusal of the plans – even if flood risk assessments are carried out.
The developer is said to have offered to pay for rooflights in the neighbouring property but the owner says this is not possible due to the loft being used for storage – so light still would not reach the upper floor.
Council officers write: “Whilst the principle of the re-development of this site is acceptable and the design could improve the appearance of two street scenes, the proposal would cause a harmful impact on the operation of the neighbouring site.
“The application is not accompanied by an adequate flood risk assessment and the proposed development would put future occupiers at a significant level of flood risk and potentially endanger lives.”