Metro Bank plans to open a new branch in Nottingham under proposals submitted to Nottingham City Council.
The bank is seeking full planning permission and advertisement consent for external alterations and new signage at 14 Castle Bridge Road, NG7 1GX, a vacant one-storey commercial unit close to Castle Marina Retail Park.
Planning documents submitted on behalf of Metro Bank say the site was most recently occupied by Orangetheory Fitness. The building sits in an established commercial and retail area, with a Holiday Inn to the west, McDonald’s to the east, offices and light industrial uses to the south, and Sainsbury’s and Castle Marina Retail Park to the north.
The application does not seek permission for a change of use. According to the planning statement, the site already has lawful Class E use, which includes banks and financial services. This follows earlier permission granted in September 2020 for the building to change from a restaurant to a gym or health and fitness centre. Changes to national planning use classes later in 2020 brought a wider range of commercial uses, including financial services, within Class E.
The original building was approved in December 2011 as a restaurant with associated parking.
The current proposals relate to the appearance and operation of the building for Metro Bank’s intended occupation. The works include recladding the north and east elevations in grey porcelain tile, installing new shopfront glazing, removing the existing entrance vestibule, creating new rear access, removing a shopfront opening on the east elevation, and adding feature signage cladding.
The plans also include a new plant yard with fencing and a secure gate, with plant equipment moved from roof level to the rear of the building. An ATM and associated signage are proposed on the north elevation, along with an internally illuminated fascia sign, vinyl lettering on glazing, and two illuminated totem signs either side of the site entrance.
The planning statement says no changes are proposed to the existing vehicular access. The parking layout would be reconfigured to match the previous arrangement.
The site is not listed, is not within a conservation area, and is not designated in the local development plan. It is, however, within Flood Zone 3. The applicant says the proposals would not increase the size of the building, introduce a more flood-sensitive use, alter the existing hardstanding or drainage, or increase flood risk at the site.
The statement argues that bringing the vacant unit back into use would support the established retail and commercial area and provide local employment. It says a new Metro Bank store would create a number of full-time jobs, with around 60 per cent described as first-time banking positions.
The application has been submitted to Nottingham City Council for determination. The council will consider the external alterations and advertisement consent proposals before deciding whether planning permission should be granted.
