A demolition plan has been welcomed for an 'eyesore' Radford pub that could become shops and student flats. The Local on Alfreton Road, Radford would be knocked down to be turned into three shops and 25 student studio flats, if new plans are approved by Nottingham City Council.
Built in the 1960s by Shipstones Brewery when it was known as The Windmill, the pub has under gone several name changes but has been vacant for the last ten years. Planning permission was granted for the demolition of the pub in November 2021 subject to a number of conditions, including the submission of a methodology statement to ensure that any caves within the site were not adversely affected.
Locals thought the proposals would improve the area if given the greenlight. Dave Widdison, 50, from Radford, said: "They should turn it into flats and get some use out of it. If you think about it the shops are needed to, we could do with another convivence store or another small supermarket.
Read more: Plan to knock down former Nottingham pub behind the Victoria Centre for new student flats
"You don’t need more takeaways there, and it will never be used again as a pub. It would make for good flats, it's in a good location with lots of shops and transport."
Sami Okubay, 20, a student at Nottingham Trent University, said: "That would be a good thing for the area. The more people coming in to this street, the more customers businesses get."
The vacant building covers around half of the site, with the remaining land partially overgrown with some hard surfacing. The proposed design will include a communal space for students, cycle storage, bin area and outdoor entertainment area.
A staff member at Lyca Mobile Compu Clinic, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s a bit of an eyesore. The students would probably help businesses.
“We've been here for 10 years but it’s been closed all that time. Somebody was interested in buying it as a pub but that was some time ago.
“It would help the community [to see it redeveloped]. We have had police looking in there a lot so I think there has been some trouble there.”
The plan's developer said the project would create jobs and give the site a long-term future. In a planning document, Zenith Planning and Design on behalf of applicant A And Q Properties, said: "The proposal will fulfil an economic role by bringing forward the development of a vacant building and by providing employment opportunities during the construction phase and through the provision of new retail units.
"In the longer term it will fulfil an economic and social role by providing accommodation for students who will then make use of local facilities including local shops, public houses, restaurants and hot food takeaways, and leisure facilities. It will fulfil an environmental role by improving the appearance of the site which lies on a main radial route into the city." The planning application is pending consideration by Nottingham City Council.
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