Neighbours have shared their sadness over the potential fate of a former bowls clubhouse next to a popular park. The empty clubhouse in Addison Street, next to the Arboretum, would be turned into 29 apartments providing 58 bed spaces if Nottingham City Council's planning committee grant planning permission on October 19.
The Georgian-era clubhouse, which was closed in September 2019, would be refurbished and converted to form residential apartments. The bowling green would be repurposed as a communal garden area and more recent Victorian additions would be demolished.
Locals were not convinced by the proposal, with the Arboretum Residents' Association previously urging people to object to the plans for the 'beautiful' bowling green. Melvyn Mewton, 69, who has lived on Addison Street for 50 years and whose dad was a member of the club, said it would be a 'great shame' to convert the centre.
Read more: Sadness over plans to knock down part of 'beautiful' Nottingham bowls club for flats
"It really is a shame what has happened to it, and it would be a great shame to see it become flats. It's a sad time because I used to know everyone over there and my father was a member for 20 years.
"But it is a sign of the times with this happening, in terms of buildings being turned into flats. We've lost a lot of Nottingham's history and part of its identity, too.
"Putting housing right on to the Arboretum is a shame, too. There are so many flats that have been built around here that do not seem full."
The Arboretum, which is a Grade II* registered Park and Garden, is right next to the site and the Grade II listed Chinese Bell Tower is situated beyond the rear boundary. The Arboretum Residents' Association & Friends of Nottingham Arboretum raised several objections to the plans, arguing there were many other socially beneficial alternative uses and labelling it "irresponsible" due to its density.
Graham Lester George, a writer who lives in the Arboretum, had opposed the plan. "I feel like these projects just get waved through now. I do not have high hopes of stopping it," Mr Lester George said.
"I feel like we [local residents] haven't really been listened to."
John Guertler, 78, from Hyson Green, added: "I think people will be relieved that it's not more student flats, but I suppose they could be used in that way. I do worry about how close it will be to the Arboretum, it already gets very crowded in summer."
There would be 11 vehicle parking spaces accessible from the existing entrance from Addison Street. Nottingham City Council has requested a financial contribution of £241,176 towards affordable housing from the applicant.
They have also outlined the developers will have to pay £64,467 towards open space improvement as well as £10,960 towards local employment and training. Councillors will have the final say on the plans, which have been recommended for approval by planning officers, at Nottingham City Council's planning committee on October 19.
A Nottingham City Council planning officer said: "Multiple comments have been raised regarding the proposed intensification of use of the site and the potential anti-social behaviour that will result from future occupiers. As stated in the principle of development section of the report, the proposal is for C3 accommodation.
"Whilst there is no ability to resist units potentially being bought/rented by students the likely size and cost of the units is considered to make this unlikely. Whilst concerns raised are noted, it is not considered that the proposed development would detrimentally impact upon amenity of existing occupiers and the proposal would result in a good standard of amenity for future occupiers."
The prospective developer of the site has labelled the project 'high quality accommodation' and said it will be carried out sensitively. In a planning document, Rayner Davies Architects, on behalf of applicant Unitech Plus Limited, said: "The original pavilion and its setting is to be retained and refurbished to ensure the building’s ongoing usage and to be sensitively extended to provide new high-quality accommodation inside wings that are subservient in style and scale to the original.
"The proposed structures will not be overbearing and will fit well within the street scene. It has been demonstrated that the proposals are a high-quality response to the brief, the site constraints and to their setting within the conservation area."
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