Our Representation to Planning Inspectorate
Appeal ref: APP/J3015/W/22/3309040
Planning application: 22/00125/FUL
Station road_419 student studios
Beeston Civic Society SUPPORTS the decision of Broxtowe Council Planning Committee to REFUSE planning permission to this application.
The Society submitted a thorough OBJECTION [1] to the planning application, which we hope will be viewed in full as part of the Planning Inspectorate’s enquiry.
The application as discussed by Councillors during the Committee Meeting was much consistent with the Society’s viewpoint,
“concern about the amenity of students living in the accommodation because the rooms were very small and the intensity of occupation was too high for the size of the site. It was noted that there would be an impact on neighbour amenity because of the lack of car parking provided on the site and because the students would only be in occupation for part of the year. The design of the building was considered to be unimaginative and inappropriate as a gateway building to Beeston.” [2] (our emphasis)
As were the reasons for refusal:
- The submitted scheme, by virtue of its size and design represents an unsatisfactory development which fails to provide appropriate internal floor space and consequently the proposal would afford a substandard level of amenity for future occupiers.
- The proposal also fails to provide sufficient car parking for a development of this magnitude and would increase on street parking in surrounding areas.
- The proposed restriction of occupation to students would also fail to maximise the potential contribution to town centre footfall during non-term periods.
- The proposed development is therefore contrary to Policies 6 and 10 of the Broxtowe Aligned Core Strategy (2014) and Policy 17 of the Broxtowe Part 2 Local Plan (2019). [2] (our emphasis)
OUR PETITION
We have had much engagement with our members and the general public on this development – in all its guises. Currently, our online petition supporting the Council’s planning refusal [4] has 620 signatures. (as of 13/02/23).
DEMAND AND VIABILITY
The Civic Society believes the demand and viability of 419 student only studios in the centre of Beeston town remains to be seen. Cassidy Group cite their own research, provided by StuRents (“the UK's leading student accommodation search, property management and data platform that connects renters to over 750,000 student rooms nationwide.”), to highlight ‘rapid growth’ of students in Beeston and the future need for PBSA accommodation. But they were unaware, when asked by us at a public engagement exercise at ARC cinema, of the Greater Nottingham & Ashfield Housing Needs Assessment technical paper by Iceni Projects Limited on behalf of Ashfield, Broxtowe, Gedling, Erewash, Nottingham and Rushcliffe Councils (February 2020)[3]. This contradicts the ‘rapid growth’ put forward by Cassidy, and makes the case for bed spaces already being covered by existing and pipeline PBSA.
“2.43 […] over the next five years, there is likely to be an increase of around 4,750 full-time students requiring accommodation within and around Nottingham with the vast majority of this arising from Nottingham Trent University. This is set against pipeline supply of around 5,850 purpose-built student accommodation (“PBSA”) bedspaces which are expected to come forward across Nottingham City and Broxtowe in the coming years.”
Where is the evidence for the need for this PBSA in Beeston, above and beyond that of residential dwellings?
In light of reports of over-built university towns and tower blocks being ‘flipped’ to residential after being left unfilled, how will Cassidy Group show how the 419 units could be turned into apartments should Beeston already reach ‘saturation’ point and until are not taken up now, or in the future?
Where is the justification for single room accommodation vs. communal 6 bed flat units to permit future conversion if required?
By their very bespoke nature, PBSA student accommodation and its lack of external space restrict future alternative uses, preventing them from contributing to long-term placemaking. We do not wish to be left with a tower block that can’t be inhabited.
A solution to this could be mixed-tenure, with affordable apartments, family flats, intergenerational apartments, and student flats to contribute to affordable homes NPPF requirement and the increased need for assisted living, dementia care facilities, and any student accommodation.
A GATEWAY BUILDING?
This is a wasted opportunity to create a real sympathetically designed and impressive “gateway building” at the Middle Street junction and can only be described as a “wayfinding point from Beeston Station” by virtue of its proposed height given that it is half a mile distant.
The increased homogeneity of the blocks – with any previous relief to the exterior provided by window detailing, recession, or balconies being now entirely removed* – is poorly designed and inconsistent with the built surroundings. (*We were told, personally by Mr Cassidy, that this was due to safety fears: student residents “were likely to climb and scale the building” between studios and floors. Not only is this highly alarming, but this Health & Safety adaptation doesn’t seem to be applied in other Cassidy student developments. Are Beeston students different to those elsewhere?)
It cannot be said to integrate with its surroundings. It fails to reflect or take inspiration from any neighbouring buildings other than the cinema which it appears to have used as its only reference point. Thus it is aggressively monolithic.
Beeston once had many large mills and factories, even close to the town centre, but only two now remain nearby, and the scale of nearby buildings is generally no higher than 5 storeys. The proposed block facing Station Road will be higher than the nearby silk mill and both higher and longer than the Anglo Scotian Mills on Wollaton Rd but without any attempt made to ameliorate its visual dominance and impact on the street scene or to express human scale at ground level. The overwhelming appearance of verticality and height could be minimised by the use of for example horizontal detailing, setting elements of the building forwards or backwards to create rhythm and interest, incorporating curves, or detailing in brickwork to add shadow and depth. We particularly consider that the upper floors of the Station Rd block should be set back in some way to lessen the visual impact of height.
The public realm along Station Rd should be considered as important as that facing Styring Street.
We consider that the proposed design makes no attempt to provide an attractive active frontage here but merely continues the service yard effect which currently exists on Station Rd and also misses an opportunity to design a residents’ entrance which would establish a strong residential identity which could contribute positively to the street scene.
We question whether this proposal for student accommodation so close to the town centre should be seen as standalone, we suggest it should be seen as integral to all of its surroundings as a whole.
We are disappointed to see that opportunity to use roof space has again not been taken. Inclusion of a roof garden, or additional amenity space would only benefit the project, and ago some way to meet sustainability, biodiversity and landscaping requirements which the project currently falls so short of.
We consider that in design terms it fails.
PARKING AND TRANSPORT
The one positive aspect of this development there is only 6 parking spaces for 420 students. However, this does mean that there is inadequate parking for number of students, and for commercial premises. Local Plan requires 1 car parking space per 15 students.
6 spaces including 2 disabled spaces is wholly inadequate for 420 student flats plus additional commercial C5.
There is much concern from our members and the general public regarding this issue, and the issues around public transport, which there seems to be a lack of insight on the part of developers to appreciate.
Public Transport servicing both Universities, in peak times, are already full to capacity. Trams are especially so. Residents living in nearby streets already experience parking difficulties due to people parking to commute via public transport into the City.
WHAT WOULD WE LIKE TO SEE?
- Beeston needs mixed use, affordable homes: for families, professional, young people, the elderly, and students.
- This site should contain a future-proof development, using inspirational, sustainable, and carbon reducing innovation.
- Our wildlife needs mosaics of habitat, and people need green space.
Beeston was promised a gateway building to be proud of.
REFERENCES:
[1] https://beestoncivicsociety.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/bcs-objection-to-22-00125-ful.pdf?force_download=true
[2] https://democracy.broxtowe.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=794
[3] https://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/media/8308/iceni-report-feb-20.pdf