Plans scrapped for huge mixed-use scheme – and second under review

The regeneration of the former police and fire station into a major mixed-use scheme is now off the table, the leader of Nottingham City Council has told TheBusinessDesk.com – and a second scheme nearby could be in doubt.

The news comes after the city council lost its bid to try and overturn a decision to grant listed status to a key city centre building.

Grade II listed status was placed on Nottingham’s former fire and police station just days before the council’s planning committee were due to vote on a major redevelopment of the building. The move blocked the plans, which included almost 1,000 student flats on the site of the former Central Police and Fire Station.

Ancillary plans included a gym, a dance studio, co-study spaces, a cinema and a games room, as well as a public facing Market Food Hall with capacity for around 500 diners.

After the Department for Media, Culture and Sport rejected the city council’s appeal, leader David Mellen said the plans had been scrapped.

He said: “I’m disappointed that the decision by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to give the former police and fire stations Grade II listed status, which has now been upheld following an appeal, means that our long-held plans for a major regeneration scheme on the site cannot now be delivered.

“We will need to review options for the whole of the site with partners, including the nearby Guildhall building. In the meantime, we will continue to keep the site as secure as we can, although this is not an easy task and comes with significant ongoing costs.”

Nottingham City Council, which has ongoing issues with its own finances, is clearly keen to offload the site to a developer.

Vita Group submitted plans last August to transform the former fire and police stations. The scheme was due to be voted on by Nottingham City Council’s planning committee on Wednesday January 18 – but the planning chief’s report was withdrawn at the last moment.

The police and fire station have been vacant for around seven years.

Meanwhile, plans for the first phase of the adjacent Guildhall redevelopment were given the go-ahead three years ago, and include a 162-bed, four-star hotel, which will include a rooftop fine dining restaurant, spa and wedding and conference facilities.

Mellen added: “The council is committed to protecting Nottingham’s heritage and has a good track record of working with Historic England and DCMS to secure funding to restore older buildings in the city. Preserving the Guildhall building, which already had Listed status, was an integral part of our plan for the site.

“However, when public buildings are no longer needed for their original purpose, councils have a duty to consider what future options would provide best value for local taxpayers and would potentially attract private-sector investment. The nature of older buildings means finding a suitable alternative use is often not straightforward.”