Residents have raised major concerns over plans to build a student accommodation block in the neighbourhood.
Nottingham City Council’s planning committee will vote tomorrow – Wednesday, 22 October – on whether to give a five-storey, 113-bed block on the corner of Mapperley Park’s Mansfield Road and Magdala Road the go-ahead, nearly two years since proposals were first revealed.
Planning officers who have been looking over the plans during that time, and overseen a reduction in the planned number of bedrooms, recommended last Friday (October 16) that the plans be approved.
But long-term residents of Mapperley Park are far from happy about it, including Hazel Woodward, who has lived on Redcliffe Road nearby for 35 years.
“It’s ludicrous, absolutely,” said the 86-year-old, and her husband Eric, 98. “We couldn’t believe it when we heard about it.
“People think we won’t get involved, but we will. There’s a car park for the hotel here and we already have to deal with the buses and lorries going to it. If they build the accommodation on the other car park, more buses and lorries will come into this one.
“The traffic will be heavy. Zulla Road has no bumps, so already people speed up and down it. I just can’t think whoever thought this scheme up.”
The accommodation will be situated on a car park site which currently serves the Mercure Hotel on Mansfield Road.
Neighbour Pat Powell is similarly concerned about the plans, suggesting that traffic will be an issue if the proposals are given the green light.
“There’s no need for student accommodation here because there’s no college or uni here,” said the 77-year-old.
“It’ll put pressure on the junction, which is a health and safety issue. Turning right into it from Magdala Road will block the road. And it’s a misnomer to think that students don’t have cars.”
Those on Zulla Road, which runs behind the hotel, parallel to Mansfield Road, are just as concerned too. One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “All the traffic from the hotel and the construction and the 113 rooms will come down my street – a narrow residential road.
“I haven’t got anything against them doing something with the car park,” she said. “But this is hanging the community out to dry. I can’t believe any council would allow this to happen.”
Mapperley Park is a conservation area and was designated as such in 1976 by Nottingham City Council.
It means that any new buildings, or changes to existing ones, must “preserve or enhance the character of the area.”
Local teacher Declan said he was “a bit concerned” that the huge block could be “intrusive”.
“It’s not really in keeping with the Mapperley Park ambience,” said the 44-year-old. “I wouldn’t say I’m entirely happy about it.
“It’s insane how much student accommodation there is. There aren’t that many students.”
Retiree Jane Harwood, who lives very close to where the accommodation would be, agreed.
“My understanding is that there’s more than we need already and that student numbers are going down,” she said. “We have so much in Nottingham. It’ll be unsightly too.
“My main thought, though, is that this is a conservation area. The rest of us are constrained by that. We can’t even do anything to the trees in our garden.”