Controversial residential scheme resubmitted for approval

Prosperity Developments has resubmitted its plans to build an 11-storey apartment block in Birmingham’s Gay Village with no affordable housing.

The 116-apartment scheme was subject to non-determination, but in March planning committee members said they would have refused it for failing to address potential noise issues from the Nightingale club and for the lack of agreement on affordable housing.

Prosperity now believes it is close to an agreement with The Nightingale and Birmingham City Council. However it wants the Council to accept the mitigation works instead of providing affordable housing.

Prosperity said: “Whilst there are still some detailed issues which are being addressed with both The Nightingale and the Council’s Environmental Protection Unit (EPU), it is understood that the proposals are acceptable in principle.”

Birmingham City Council has the target of 35% affordable homes for developments, which would require 16 Kent Street to provide more than 40 units.

An independent report produced for an earlier hearing found the scheme could “sustain a contribution of circa £750,000”.

However Prosperity intends to instead use this money to fund the noise mitigation measures at The Nightingale and says it has support from the Council for this “meaning that no agreement for the provision of affordable housing is required”.