Residential and commercial property developer – Godwin Developments – has submitted planning for a 692-unit purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Nottingham city centre. Proposals were lodged with Nottingham City Council at the end of last week.
The site is at the former Royal Mail sorting office which has been vacant for almost 20 years. Godwin Developments propose to demolish the disused and significantly degraded building and construct a new contemporary scheme – varying from 12 to 15 storeys high.
The development – named the Bendigo Building – is situated on the corner of Bath Street and Cowan Street and is adjacent to St. Mary’s Rest Gardens. The Bendigo Building PBSA scheme will include a mix of modern studio apartments, four, five and six-bedroom clusters and disabled studio rooms.
“We are delighted to have reached this important milestone in our proposals for the re-development of this significant site in Nottingham. The city is a key UK hub for higher education, with an ever-growing student population. As a business with a local presence, we recognise the substantial contribution that young people make to its potential. They bring energy and vibrancy to the area, draw in private investment, boost local businesses through discretional spend, support the day and night-time economy, and add to the ongoing city-wide regeneration initiatives.
“With the number of full-time students expected to increase by approximately 28% in the next few years, there is a clear requirement for more dedicated student spaces where young people can live, study and play together. The Bendigo Building will cater to these needs while also freeing up traditional housing stock, allowing homes to return to their intended family use – responding to the aspirations of many local residents.
“We would like to thank Nottingham City Council’s planning team for their support and feedback with the scheme to date as well as the local community for engaging with us constructively during the public consultation stages. We’ve also worked closely with our partners – architects RG&P, engineers HSP Consulting and planning experts PD&G – who helped us to shape the proposals submitted last week.”
Matt Chandler, Development Director, Godwin Developments
The Bendigo Building scheme will provide a range of indoor amenities, including a spacious residents lounge and reception area, gym, study and games rooms. The development will also include a fully landscaped courtyard garden with outdoor seating, recreational and outdoor exercise equipment, basement parking for 55 vehicles and 312 cycle storage spaces. On the ground floor, two commercial units have also been proposed as an additional amenity for residents and the neighbouring community.
The development is conveniently located within easy walking distance of Nottingham city centre, Nottingham Trent University, Sneinton Market and the main food and entertainment quarter, with the University of Nottingham and Nottingham train station also readily accessible via public transport.
“More and more domestic and international students come to the city of Nottingham, seeking outstanding education and good quality accessible student living. We are confident that the Bendigo Building with its prominent location and high amenities provision will be popular with young people and will deliver attractive long-term returns to investors seeking to capitalise on the strong local PBSA market.”
Stephen Pratt, Co-founder and Board Director, Godwin Developments
The Bendigo Building also contains sustainability features – such as air source heat pumps, photovoltaic (PV) roof panels and electric vehicle charging points. It endorses green methods of travel in and around the city by encouraging cycling, walking and use of nearby public transport – all of which promote the health and wellbeing of students and cleaner air in central Nottingham.
“Nottingham is one of the UK’s higher education hotspots with its leading universities attracting a growing number of students year-on-year. In the last few years, the full-time student population in the city has surpassed 63,000 and is growing faster than any other UK university destination. At the same time, independent evidence indicates that there are at least 25,000 young people who are unable to access PBSA – highlighting the robust demand for student living in the city and the clear requirement for dedicated schemes like the Bendigo Building.”
James Mulcare, Head of Residential Capital Markets, Godwin Developments
Once underway the Bendigo Building will create around 300 jobs during the construction phase and 40 full-time positions when fully operational.
