Nottingham City Council plans the long-anticipated demolition and redevelopment of the remaining HRA shop units at Robin Hood Chase in St Ann’s.
The site, deemed commercially unviable for many years, will now be cleared to make way for 15 new council homes in a £3.5 million social housing project that aims to help tackle the city’s mounting housing crisis.
The matter will be discussed at the Executive Board meeting on 20 May.
The redevelopment is the final phase of a broader regeneration plan for Robin Hood Chase first approved in 2012. Earlier stages of the masterplan delivered Wainwright House, an independent living scheme with 40 apartments, new retail units, 10 market-sale homes, 14 council homes, and a public square. However, the third phase — earmarked for new housing — was shelved due to funding constraints and shifts in local priorities.
Now, more than a decade later, with Nottingham’s social housing waiting list surpassing 10,000 households and rising homelessness-related costs, the Council is leveraging changes in national policy that allow 100% of the costs of new council housing to be met using Right to Buy (RTB) replacement receipts — a provision valid until March 2026.
The redevelopment involves:
Demolition of five vacant shop units and the former library (22–30 Robin Hood Chase)
Appropriation of the library from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA)
Construction of 15 new two-bedroom affordable homes
Delivery forecast: Spring/Summer 2028
Total investment: £3.507 million
The site has struggled to attract tenants or commercial rents, despite efforts to maintain its relevance. The few units still in use, including a foodbank and a charity, are operating on peppercorn or rent-free licences and have been engaged for relocation, with the foodbank set to move into the nearby Neighbourhood Centre.
The former library — now deemed surplus — will be transferred to the HRA through a technical accounting mechanism rather than a capital sale. The plan ensures the General Fund receives an annual revenue provision until the property value is covered.
Cost of homelessness in Nottingham: £36,500 per household per year in temporary accommodation
New homes: 15 two-bed houses, expected to be let at affordable rents
Project value: £3.507 million, funded mostly from RTB receipts
Estimated project payback: 35 years, with a positive Net Present Value (NPV) achieved over 50 years
HRA reserves: Sufficient to cover any additional needs post-2026
The Council expects no requirement for borrowing to finance the scheme, avoiding the accrual of interest — a key benefit that underlines the value-for-money case made in the project’s appraisal.
A full application will be lodged soon.
