Vita Group has submitted plans to redevelop one of Nottingham’s most significant city centre redevelopment sites, the Guildhall, into a 967-home student accommodation premises.
The Grade II listed building and adjacent site is a strategically important redevelopment location for the city. It was built in 1887 and was home to the city’s Magistrates’ Court, along with the former fire and police stations. The building has been underutilised and has required investment and redevelopment for several years.
Vita Group’s proposal is specific to the former fire and police stations, which the company plans to convert into a Vita Student premises, offering amenities including a residents’ gym, dance studio, co-study spaces, cinema and games rooms.
Vita’s plans also outline provisions for a public-facing market food hall for around 500 diners to enjoy the best from emerging local food vendors.
The Guildhall development is the second Vita Student scheme in Nottingham. With its latest development, Vita is also planning to bring the group’s pioneering new student accommodation concept, House of Social, to the city.
House of Social has been designed to create high-end sharing apartments, to retain second- and third-year students in the city, relieving the pressures that this demand currently puts on the local housing stock.
The proposals have been designed to be located sensitively and sustainably on Shakespeare Street, North Church Street and South Sherwood Street and will complement the existing plans already approved for a hotel on the Guildhall site.
Plans also outline better provision for pedestrian-friendly pavements and support biodiversity with significant planting and new trees.
Mark Oakes, chief commercial officer at Vita Group, said: “A vastly underutilised redevelopment opportunity, Guildhall has the potential to be one of Nottingham’s major landmarks once again, bringing significant investment to the city and a historically important building back to life.
“The plans aim to create best-in-class student accommodation with outstanding amenities, whilst also easing pressures on local housing stock. The market food hall will create a go-to destination for all the city to enjoy, providing the perfect backdrop for exciting new independent restaurateurs to bring their new ventures to people across the region.”
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