A petition has been launched to save a historic property on the banks of the River Trent from being flattened and replaced by modern luxury apartments.
Once a house but more recently offices, the impressive Neo-Gothic turreted building currently stands empty and is partially boarded up. The front borders Wilford Lane, in West Bridgford, while the rear overlooks the river and Victoria Embankment.
The property at 26 Wilford Lane once stood next door to Jesse Boot's summer house, Plaisaunce, where the founder of Boots would entertain employees with dances, musical performances, swimming and fireworks, before it was razed to the ground in 1961. Today, it is sandwiched between Rivermead House apartments and two white contemporary homes with full-height windows.
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Planning permission was originally granted by Rushcliffe Borough Council in 2019 to demolish the existing building and construct four executive apartments within a four-storey building overlooking the River Trent, plus a detached three-storey house at the front.
The plans, revised to build six apartments over four floors, were approved in 2021. Savills is marketing the plot with a guide price of £1.5 million, describing it as "a rare and exciting opportunity for a developer to undertake a bespoke project in a truly special, one-off location overlooking the River Trent."
Award-winning photographer Tom Keen, who fears Nottingham's history is being lost in favour of contemporary redevelopments, has started a petition in the hope of saving the "glorious building" from demolition. He has been in touch with Historic England to see if the building could be granted listed status to prevent it from being knocked down, and has contacted Nottinghamshire Building Preservation Trust.
Mr Keen, 42, of West Bridgford, said it would be a travesty to see it replaced by a "modern, soulless development." The original plans retained the turret, the latest plans don't, however.
Mr Keen said: "It's a unique Victorian riverside property. I would always marvel and imagine who lived there as I was driven by my dad along the embankment as a kid.
"There is no other property left standing of its type on the river. The views overlooking the river will be substantially diminished by its demolition. The recent planning application does away with all nods to the original building.
"Nottingham is to lose an architecturally and culturally significant building. We want variety and a record of history, not profit above all. There are plenty of new developments and space for them along the river. We should save our old impressive buildings."
The side of the building, visible from WIlford Lane, was extended twice in the 1980s, which could be an obstacle for it being listed. However, Mr Keen added: "This is not relevant to the impressiveness of the place, designed to be viewed from the river and the embankment. The riverside facade at the very least should be preserved for future generations. The whole building preferably. It would still leave a fairly large area of land close to the road ripe for development."
Tom's partner Jordan Welsh said: "I have always loved this building. It's a real shame nothing is being done to preserve it. I run down here, I walk down here and it's an integral part of the landscape. It's a very English dream to have a home with a turret. There is surely a balance between preserving history and building new homes for people."
A Rushcliffe Borough Council spokesperson said: “The site has been subject to a transparent independent planning process and two applications being approved, the first in 2019 for a building comprising a one-bed dwelling to the Wilford Lane frontage and a building to the rear, encompassing four apartments.
“The further application in 2021 proposed a single building encompassing six apartments to the rear of the site with an altered design compared with the first submission.
“As with all planning applications, views were sought from residents, the public and all stakeholders at the time of planning submissions and fully taken into consideration when decisions on the application were made.”
To sign the petition click here
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