Student flats will be built on top of a medieval tanning site that dates back more than 600 years after plans were unanimously approved by Nottingham councillors.
A three and four storey block with a total of 81 beds will now be built on a temporary car park off the roundabout where London Road meets Canal Street.
Plans were submitted by ARC Design Studio, on behalf of BNM Finley House Ltd.
They have gone through numerous versions since 2017, and the current developer has settled on 81 beds, made up of 25 studios and 56 bedrooms.
During the planning process it was deemed a “highly sensitive historic location”, and the character and appearance must be retained or enhanced by any development.
The area was historically known as Narrow Marsh. It was once home to 47 tanning yards in around 1664, and more than 100 master tanners were known to operate in the area by 1667.
During archaeological excavations and surveys of the site a total 31 tanning pits, where animal hides were treated and turned into leather, were discovered under the car park.
Some of the clay-lined pits date back to the 14th and 15th Centuries, meaning they are 600-700 years old.
More than 5,000 animal bones and fragments were also found, including cattle horns, relating to the production of leather.
As such no development can commence until investigations and archiving work has been completed.
Concerns were also raised by residents in Cliff Road over the imposing nature of the building on their homes and gardens, which back onto the site.
During a Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday, July 17, Cllr Graham Chapman (Lab), said: “First of all I think it is a better scheme than the original. I would like to congratulate the developers.
However he added: “There is going to be detriment. There needs to be good boundary treatment.
“The least you can do is make sure the boundary treatment doesn’t deteriorate. It is really important to people.”
A planning officer said: “The boundary at the back of the site. You can see there is an access path adjacent to boundary on the other side which serves the garden space.
“So for the majority of the boundary you have the benefit of almost two lines of defence. So there is the boundary at the back of the gardens but also there is this additional boundary which wraps around the site.”
Following numerous consultations with residents, the height of the building has been reduced by one floor.
It will now largely stand at three storeys, with a fourth storey in the corner.
The upper floors to the western and northern side of the building have also been pulled away from homes on Cliff Road.
Councillors were informed that no bedroom windows overlook the homes in Cliff Road.
The building will also feature a ‘living wall’ at the front, featuring an abundance of plants.
Cllr Sam Lux (Lab) said: “We spoke earlier about whether there was a maintenance plan for that. We’ve seen green walls neglected.”
The planning officer said there were examples of good ones and bad ones, and said they would seek to address concerns.
Plans were approved subject to no material objections being raised by the Environment Agency, in regards to the creation of a lower ground floor.
