Bringing city’s history back from the brink
MASSIVE TASK OF RESTORING BUILDINGS TO LIFE AGAIN
SOME of Nottingham’s oldest and most derelict buildings have been given a new lease of life, and residents want to see more of it.
A city council review of Nottingham’s Building at Risk register found that nearly half the properties had been repaired and brought back into use.
The Historic England list shows where protected monuments and areas are in poor condition and highlights necessary repair work.
There are 757 Grade Ii-listed city buildings and the council has been working with partners to assess their condition as part of Nottingham’s Heritage Action Zone project.
In 2013, the register showed 10 percent, or 78 Grade Ii-listed buildings in Nottingham, most privately owned, were “at risk”.
Since then, 43 percent have been brought back into good condition with new uses.
Some of the biggest success stories are in the Pilcher Gate and St Mary’s Gate area in the Lace Market.
41 Pilcher Street was one of the earliest houses in the city and dates to between 1689 and 1699.
During the 1940s it was used as a lace warehouse but was already in a poor condition.
In 2013, Mabec Properties started its restoration, which involved taking down a significant part of the walls to stabilise the structure.
Debra Trivigno, owner at Gigi Bottega, remarked: “It’s beautiful. So many buildings have gone to rack and ruin and Nottingham is such an amazing city I would like to see more of the restoration than just new buildings.
“It really is incredible what can be done, and there is such a lot of history here.
“People know Nottingham all over the world, and want to visit. We need to make the most of these buildings.”
Tim Ryan, a web developer who works in the Lace Market, said: “It has got really nice features but I feel it half restored, half modernised. Maybe it just needs a bit of weathering.
“But I’ve worked in the area since the 1980s and this was derelict then. It’s astonishing, really, the buildings we have and surprising that not more have been done up.
“It makes such a difference and I think people visiting or looking for short term lets would really go for something with a bit of history.”
Another building in terrible condition in 2013 was 27 St Mary’s Gate, which was built as a house in the late 1700s.
In 2018/19, BSP Properties started to bring it back into use. Outside, the building’s historic character was completely restored, while inside, the building was converted into luxury apartments.
Three other buildings on the 2013 register have received restoration grants, including the Birkin Building on Broadway, which has now been removed from the register.
Councillor Linda Woodings, Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for planning, housing and heritage, said: “We’re really proud of Nottingham’s unique heritage, and by protecting and bringing these buildings back into use, we are not only showcasing the city’s fascinating history and character, but also preserving them for future generations.”
Clive Fletcher, principal adviser and lead specialist at Historic England, said: “Comparisons with the register show some notable successes, and some wonderful buildings have been brought back into use and repaired since the adoption of the Heritage Strategy.”
Forty four buildings – 6 percent of the 757 Grade Ii-listed buildings in the city – remain on the register.
The city council is working hard to secure the future of the Great Northern Warehouse through the planning process for the Island Quarter and going forward,
The City of Nottingham Historic Buildings Trust will be putting plans forward to save buildings such as Bulwell Hall Stables, which has been on the register since 2013.