Developer gets go-ahead for huge new student accommodation scheme
Plans for the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office into a 692-bed student living development took a step forward on Wednesday afternoon (18th August) after members of the Nottingham City Council planning committee voted through plans for Godwin Developments’ proposals for the Bendigo Building.
The decision was made subject to clarification of further design details.
The scheme will see the currently disused property – which has been vacant for nearly 20 years – demolished and replaced with purpose build student accommodation (PBSA).
The development will consist of a mix of studio apartments, four-, five- and six-bedroom clusters and accessible studio rooms.
The scheme will include two receptions, a residents lounge, gym, study and games rooms, as well as a fully-landscaped courtyard garden with outdoor seating, recreational and outdoor exercise equipment, six car parking and 312 cycle storage spaces.
Two commercial units will located on the ground floor.
Matt Chandler, development director at Godwin Developments, said: “We are delighted to have received the resolution to grant planning approval from Nottingham City Council for our proposals, which will transform this eye-sore of a building into a thriving student hub.
“With unmet demand of over 7,000 student beds in the city and the number of undergraduates rising as both universities continue their expansion plans, there is a clear requirement for more dedicated student spaces where young people can live, study, and socialise together. Our plans will not only cater to this demand but also support the Council’s ambitions to keep the city centre vibrant, house students better, and protect further traditional family housing from being converted for student occupation.”
“The Bendigo Building will also bring a substantial amount of investment, attracting £234 million of economic activity to Nottingham and the region in the form of construction, employment and discretional spend. Other community benefits will include a large contribution towards open spaces as well as employment and training, improvement of public realm and safety.”
“We would like to thank Nottingham City Council’s planning team for their support of the scheme, as well as our partners – architects RG+P, planning consultants P&DG and engineering business HSP Consulting – for their work to-date.”
Once underway the Bendigo Building will create around 300 jobs during the construction phase – and 40 full-time positions when fully operational.
James Mulcare, head of residential capital markets at Godwin Developments, said: “In recent years, Nottingham has cemented itself into a major higher education destination. The city attracts nearly 80% of its full-time students from the UK, making it resilient to fluctuations in international student demand.
“As vaccination rates across the country continue to rise and young people seek to return to face-to-face learning and socialising, the need for purpose-built student accommodation will continue to grow – and with it a strong interest from investors across the globe.
“We are confident that the Bendigo Building with its prominent location and high amenities provision will be popular with young people and will deliver attractive long-term returns to investors seeking to capitalise on the strong local PBSA market.”
