‘Some people’s view will be a brick wall’
CONCERN OVER PLANS FOR FIVE-STOREY BLOCK OF FLATS ON FORMER PUB SITE
NEIGHBOURS of a demolished pub have expressed concerns that building a five-storey apartment block in its place could result in the area feeling “cramped”.
Plans for the vacant site on the corner of Raleigh Street and Stoneleigh Street, which will be decided on Wednesday by Nottingham City Council, has twice been rejected due to concerns about the impact on neighbouring properties.
The pub was demolished several years ago and the site has since become overgrown and littered.
David Rodgers, 65, a retiree who lives in Radford, said: “I imagine it would ruin looking out of your balcony if you’re lower down.
“I think it would feel quite cramped there – it’s next to houses and flats lower down as well.
“There’s quite a few taller buildings around here now thought with the student buildings as well – I’m not sure what I think about it.”
An application in 2018 and a subsequent appeal were both refused by Nottingham City Council as they would have had an “adverse impact on the street scene and the historic character of the conservation area” and an “unacceptable impact on the living conditions of residents” in the neighbouring Portland Square flats.
Chris Burgur, 21, who studies chemical engineering at the University of Nottingham, said: “I don’t think there’s going to be much space in between the building next to it – it would be very close.
“If it lines up with the windows of the student flats I doubt either set of people will be that happy.
“I don’t have much of an issue with it but maybe I would if I lived right there.
“It would be worth having something else there definitely, but maybe it would have been easier for it to be turned into a garden or space for the Portland student flats.”
Simone Wiles, 19, a psychology student at Nottingham Trent University who lives on nearby Gamble Street, said: “I find it weird that it’s not for students considering this is a big student area. I’m not sure families would want to live there.
“Surely for some people, their view will just be a brick wall. If I lived there think I would be annoyed. But if it clears up the litter on the space and uses it that’s good for the area.”
In a planning document, architects Rdarchitects on behalf of developer Asiana Limited, said: “The proposed scheme will create a high-quality building which is respectful to its setting and the conservation area.
“This will make a positive contribution to the street scene by developing the vacant plot.
“The massing, height and architectural language of the proposed development has been carefully designed to respect and respond to the character of the conservation area, and to directly resolve design issues associated with the refused planning applications which the planning inspector cited as reason for dismissal.”