Apartment scheme wins planning following series of appeals

Plans to create a new apartment block on a derelict builder’s yard in Leicester have been given the green light.

Nico Properties has been given the go-ahead to build eight contemporary apartments at the Staveley Road site after a succession of planning applications and appeals supported by Marrons proved successful.

The “contentious and challenging” site will be cleared and the existing buildings demolished to make way for the new development, which will include 15 car parking spaces, weatherproof cycle storage and a communal landscaped garden.

Seven two-bed apartments and one one-bed apartment will be built, each with open plan living and kitchen areas and full floor-to-ceiling windows to maximise sunlight.

Sachin Parmar, planning director at Marrons, said: “There is strong demand for property in Leicester and this scheme will revitalise neglected brownfield land while bringing forward much-needed housing supply.

“Due to neighbour objections and flood risk constraints, the site was challenging and contentious, and required extensive negotiations with the planning team at the local planning authority.

“Our in-house planning lawyers at Shakespeare Martineau also assisted with sound legal advice and helping to secure a successful costs claim against the council when it failed to take into account a previous appeal decision.”

Will Seymour and Karen Brightman, also of Marrons, worked on the project with Parmar.

Brightman, whose presentation to councillors resulted in an almost unanimous vote in favour of the scheme, said: “We are delighted the development has now been given the green light as it will provide much-needed new and high-quality housing for residents in the city.”

The block has been designed by Leicester-based architects DSA.

Keshiv Sudera, managing director at DSA, said: “We are pleased to see planning approved on a challenging site, which required a number of factors to be considered as part of the design development.

“The contemporary aesthetic creates an exciting and appealing new residential scheme on a tricky back land development. The scheme will promote sustainability with modern construction methods, sustainable features and low-energy usage – making use of natural daylight and passive solar gain. A significant amount of shared green space will also be created as part of the development.”