Neighbours have shared their thoughts on the "exciting" future of a Nottingham suburb with plans now in for a new supermarket and more homes. Plans have recently been put forward for a new Lidl to open on the former Chronos Richardson plastics site off Arnold Road and Belconnen Road. A separate application has also been tabled for 62 new homes on the same plot.
The disused industrial site is located close to Nottingham City Hospital, north of Valley Road and south of the Bestwood Estate Community Centre, off Raymede Drive. Full planning permission is sought by housing developer MyPad for a range of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes. Two separate planning applications have been submitted to the city council: one for the new supermarket and another for the new homes.
It adds to the hundreds of new homes that will be built at the old Padstow School site in Bestwood, after plans were approved on April 20. The developer, Countryside, now has the greenlight to start to build 291 properties, with 75 (25 percent) to be handed over to Nottingham City Homes to be used as council houses on the site between Southglade Road, Eastglade Road and Gainsford Crescent.
Separate plans for another 71 homes on part of the old Padstow school site were also submitted in recent months. Local residents said the plans for Bestwood would benefit the area in general, although some expressed concerns over some possible negative side effects. Couple Jeremias Tabing, 32, and Ruzicka Tabing, 32, who both work at Nottingham City Hospital and live in Bestwood, said the prospect of the supermarket and homes was "exciting" for those living nearby.
Read more: Neighbours 'astonished' by plan to build homes on former school in Bestwood
"The Lidl will be exciting for a lot of people around here. We moved from London to Nottingham and we have always wanted a supermarket since we've been here.
"It would be really convenient for everyone around here. It can be hard for people now and it is affordable, there will be a big demand for it here.
"All the new houses would bring more people and investment into this area. Plus having the shop and houses there would help light up this dark bit, which I sometimes warn my wife to stay away from when she's walking."
Mrs Tabing added: "It is quite a big walk to the nearest big shop so it would be a big help. The other workers at the City Hospital will love this. You can't really do your weekly shop at the Co-op. The houses will create the typical suburb setting unlike the space there is now."
Wayne Davis, 46, who is from Bestwood and used to live next to the potential supermarket site, said: "It would be a good thing to have more housing here. There used to be an old industrial complex here, I lived here when it was open and when it closed down.
"With the houses though it depends whether they are for local people. If loads of houses are being built that's great but not if no-one nearby can afford or get into them.
"The Lidl will be great as it's more accessible for people around here, more affordable and closer. But then I suppose the flipside is what happens to other local businesses. Everyone would go to the Lidl. But it would use this land which looks a bit untidy so it's a balance. If there was a green area with it as well for people to use that would be good. But that doesn't make money for anyone."
The Lidl store would be open between 8am and 10pm Monday to Saturday, and for any six hours between 10am to 6pm on Sundays. Lidl says it would generate up to 40 full time jobs for local people and deliver around £2 million to the local economy.
The proposed Lidl store, according to developers, has been designed to create a "great shopping experience" for its customers. They have said the store would benefit from wider aisles, baby changing facilities, longer tills, a customer toilet and an "excellent range" of products for customers.
Speaking of the plans for the old plastics site, an anonymous Bestwood resident added: "I think it will make here better to live really. It's no use having this wasteland where there's nothing."
Lidl and MyPad, behind the plans for the old Chronos Richardson site, had previously launched a public consultation on the project before plans were submitted. Speaking previously, Lidl’s Regional Head of Property, Dominic Bryan, said: “We are extremely excited about the prospect of opening a new Lidl store in Bestwood and serving our fresh, quality and incredibly good value produce which shoppers across the country have come to love."
Tom Spink, director at MyPad, added: “It’s great to be working with Lidl, arguably the most popular supermarket in the country right now, on the proposals for a new store and homes in Bestwood. This project will revitalise a key local site, delivering new houses and apartments, including affordable properties, at a time when people are looking to move somewhere new more than ever before."
The applications for the Lidl and 62 houses are currently pending consideration by Nottingham City Council. MyPad, known for providing affordable homes, is behind other projects in Wollaton, Ilkeston, Stapleford and Beeston.
