Neighbours fear living in shadow of student flats
RESIDENTS SAY DEVELOPMENT IS TOO MUCH FOR ‘TINY AREA’ OF BEESTON
NEWLY-APPROVED plans for a three-storey block of student accommodation in a “cramped” Beeston street have upset residents, who say it will cause a problem with parking and fear their homes will be overshadowed.
Revised plans for the demolition and development of a warehouse in Ellis Grove have now been given the go-ahead by Broxtowe Borough Council.
The scheme had been turned down last year, with planners at the time saying that turning the building operated by Raven Group into nine student flats was “over-intensive”.
Residents said the student building would worsen parking issues in the area and add to construction around their narrow street.
Izabela Kielich, 39, a mechanical engineer who lives in Ellis Grove, said: “I think it will make us want to move out. I don’t think the locals are happy about it in general.
“My garden is in the shade quite a bit already but I think that would make it more dark.
“Parking is always a problem down here as people come and park up to go to the shops.
“This building is going to increase the problem.”
Another concerned resident of Ellis Grove, who wished to stay anonymous, said: “There’s too much development going into this tiny little area of Beeston.
“We live on a narrow street and with the new plans for the student flats and care home the construction is going to be a pain when vehicles try get down here – the tram construction caused real problems here.
“It has come down in size from the last plans. The Co-op is a horrible building, but it allowed them to justify these taller blocks. It’s not in keeping with the rest of the area really.
“Parking is tricky down here and students expect to have cars so that’s another issue.”
Nick Oliver, 85, who is also from Beeston, added: “It seems a bit odd to put it right next to a small garage.
“But at least there is housing for other people being built nearby and it will be convenient for the people that move in.
“I don’t imagine the people living down here are that happy about it as it’s quite cramped.”
It follows the passing of plans for a 66-bed care home, on the nearby former Myford’s engineering site, which is set to open in October and create around 60 jobs.
And more recently plans were approved for a four-storey building of 53 retirement apartments to be built on land that was also part of the old Myford site near Ellis Grove.
The former Myfords factory between Ellis Grove and Barrydale Avenue was demolished in 2017.
In the committee report, a planning officer for Broxtowe Borough
Council said: “The benefits of the proposal are that the building would provide self-contained apartments suitable for use as shared accommodation, thereby potentially releasing dwellings for occupation by families.
“The residential use is compatible with the character of the area and is of an appropriate design and scale; there would be an acceptable impact on neighbour amenity and upon highway safety.”
The application was approved on January 5.
I think it will make us want to move out. I don’t think the locals are happy about it in general Izabela Kielich