Failed bid to stop student block costs council £20k
The block is due to be built in Station Road, Beeston
- Published
A Nottinghamshire council has been left with a £20,000 bill after a developer successfully appealed against a decision to stop a student block being built.
Cassidy Group was granted permission for a 419-bed building in Station Road, Beeston, in June 2023, after taking Broxtowe Borough Council’s decision to reject the scheme to the government's Planning Inspectorate.
Now a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), has revealed the Labour-run authority has been ordered to pay £19,659 in appeal costs to the developer.
Broxtowe Labour said on X, formerly Twitter, it stood by the original decision.
Councillors first voted against the plans in 2022, despite council officers warning elected members the applicant could win on appeal, leaving the authority with significant costs.
'Free up homes'
The FOI request showed total planning officer time spent on the appeal resulted in further costs of £712 on top of costs relating to legal officer time of £153, bringing the overall sum to more than £20,000.
Cassidy Group has argued the block will reduce student demand for family housing in Beeston.
“Our scheme will help free up homes for families to live in and encourage the use of public transport,” a spokesperson for the developer said.
Broxtowe Labour said: “We still feel that the planning committee made the right decision for the residents of Broxtowe.
"Unfortunately our decision was overturned by national government on appeal and the council and taxpayer was landed with the bill for £20,000.”
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