A proposal to amend plans for more than 100 homes at the Trent Basin development in Nottingham is due to be considered by councillors, with a report concluding the scheme is not financially viable to deliver the usual developer contributions.
Nottingham City Council’s planning committee is scheduled to consider the application at its meeting on 18 March. The proposal has been submitted by Mr Dominic Page on behalf of Blueprint (General Partner) Limited and relates to land at Trent Basin, in the Dales ward.
The application seeks to vary a condition attached to an earlier hybrid planning permission granted under reference 21/02550/POUT. The changes relate to a detailed scheme for the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of 111 residential dwellings. The revisions include amendments to the layout of the site, landscaping arrangements and house types within the development.
Planning officers say the application has been brought before the committee because it is a major development involving Section 106 viability considerations, where planning obligations that would normally be required under local policy are proposed to be waived.
Under Nottingham’s planning policies, developments of this scale are typically expected to contribute towards infrastructure and community provision through Section 106 agreements. In this case, a policy-compliant scheme would be expected to deliver contributions totalling £1,489,761. This would normally include £858,358 towards affordable housing, £268,384 for public open space and £363,019 towards education provision.
However, the applicant submitted a viability appraisal arguing that the scheme could not support those contributions while remaining financially deliverable. The appraisal has been independently assessed by a consultant appointed by the council, who concluded that the development would not be viable if the full contributions were required.
Planning officers state that national and local planning policy requires councils to consider the viability of development proposals when deciding whether it would be reasonable to require contributions. On that basis, the report concludes the scheme cannot support any Section 106 payments at this stage.
The earlier planning permission granted in 2021 for the site was also assessed as being unable to deliver financial contributions. However, the associated legal agreement secured other obligations, including public access through the site to the riverside basin and the provision of a continuous riverside walkway connecting neighbouring developments.
Officers say similar obligations are proposed to be secured again through either a new or amended planning agreement linked to the current application. This would ensure public access to the waterfront, as well as the long-term management and maintenance of public spaces and the riverside path within the development.
A further safeguard is also proposed through a viability review mechanism. If substantial construction has not started within two years of the planning permission being issued, the developer would be required to submit a new viability assessment. Should that review show that the development has become financially capable of supporting contributions, funding could then be directed towards affordable housing, public open space or education.
The Trent Basin site forms part of a wider regeneration area along the River Trent to the east of Nottingham city centre. Development in the area over recent years has focused on creating new residential neighbourhoods linked to the river and adjacent waterside spaces.
If councillors accept the officer recommendation, planning permission would be granted subject to the completion of the revised planning obligation and a series of conditions governing the development.
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