The owner of the iconic Carlton building has sought planning permission to convert the current flats to student accommodation. The 19 apartments are above the original White Rose fashion store on Broad Street.
The self-managed student flats would also require some internal work to make them ready for the new academic year. The building is a grade two listed property with a range of shops and restaurants on the street.
The building currently spans over five floors with 19 apartments and a retail unit downstairs. The current occupants of the building include White Rose, Kayal restaurant and Lee Holmes hair salon.
Read more: White Rose boss opens up on how popular Nottingham shop became a fashion chain
It appears that the retail units will not be affected by the flats being converted as The Love Photography unit which became vacant earlier this year has recently been rented out to a new business. There is no confirmation on what the new business will be.
Business owners below the flats have welcomed the news that the property could become student flats. They felt it would attract new customers into the shops and breathe life into Hockley.
Sarah Love is the owner of The Dandy Gent barbershop, which has been open for four months in their Hockley location. Prior to that, the business was located near student flats which resulted in an increase in business.
"I'm delighted about it as a barbershop because it's potentially more clients for us. I don't know what's happening with the existing flats but we recently moved here. We were next door to a student accommodation near the train station which was good for us. It's good for the city to get more people in the city centre - in particular into Hockley as long as they spend their money with us," she said.
All of the businesses below the flats have been taken over by the same landlord.
