Developer to take control of city centre buildings in ‘substantial’ deal

The long-running saga over the sale of Nottingham’s huge Guildhall and former police station buildings in the centre of the city could come to an end next Tuesday (February 13).

Documents seen by TheBusinessDesk.com show that Nottingham City Council, which owns both buildings, has agreed terms with a buyer to offload the site. The council’s executive board has been asked to approve the sale next Tuesday.

A deal to sell the site to developer Miller Birch had been in place, but a last minute push to list the buildings in January of last year scuppered the deal – along with plans to turn the Guildhall into a high-end hotel and the police station into a student accommodation scheme and street food market.

The deal will come as relief to the stricken city council, which has been paying for the upkeep and security of the long-derelict buildings.

The documents don’t disclose a sale price, but say the sum is “substantial”. It adds: “The disposal will relieve the council from the financial and other burdens of holding a void property [and] will see the property brought back into beneficial use.”

In September, cash-strapped Nottingham City Council lost out on £15m after it failed with an appeal to review the listed status on the two prime city centre buildings.

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