Plans for 18-storey Nottingham hotel get go-ahead

The development includes a hotel tower of 18 storeys with 223 rooms and a roof terrace

Plans for an 18-storey hotel complex on long-derelict land around Nottingham's Island Quarter have been given the go-ahead.

The hotel will have 223 rooms and is part of a development off London Road which also includes a 10-story block with 247 build-to-rent apartments.

The city council approved the scheme at at planning meeting on Wednesday.

Councillor Gul Nawaz Khan said: "It is a large and viable site left vacant for three decades."

He added: "The city residents support the proposal because jobs would be created, and it would be turned into something to make Nottingham look nice. It will look like a real city."

The 10-storey block will include a podium roof terrace, yoga studio, and library as well as a range of food and drink outlets to be named collectively as the Forum.

This space is also intended to accommodate a food market, a co-working office space, and a new area of public open space, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The plans form one of Nottingham's largest developments

Councillor Cate Woodward added: "I like it more than I thought I did because it was such a tall monstrosity."

Councillor Graham Chapman had reservations about the crown of the hotel building, saying it looked like it was made to "hoist things from".

He described it as "an error" in design but "a good development" overall.

Councillor Kevin Clarke said: "It has got a bit of character to it. Some of the developments we have had over the years have been nothing like this."

Councillor Michael Edwards, chairman of the planning committee, said the building was "striking".

"I am struck by the strength of this," he added.

The development forms part of larger plans for the up to 36-acre site, including purpose-built student accommodation, up to 12-storeys high, with 702 rooms.

The application was submitted by AXIS on behalf of Conygar Nottingham Ltd.