Hawksmoor has been involved from the inception of this development site, first identifying the site for our Client, Commercial Estates Group (CEG) in 2005. Thereafter, terms were successfully negotiated with the landowners for the promotion of this landholding for residential development.
The land, situated in the sought after suburb of Wollaton in Nottingham, was made up of a large number of allotments privately run by the Radford Bridge Road Garden Holders’ Association. Much of the allotment site was unused and overgrown and the promotion of part of the site for development was seen as a way to regenerate the allotments.
Through a review of the title documentation it quickly became apparent that the land, enclosed by existing properties and a Local Nature Reserve, did not have sufficient access to serve a residential development. To resolve this Hawksmoor, on behalf of their client, successfully negotiated an agreement to purchase one of the surrounding properties that was capable of facilitating a suitable access.
Hawksmoor, acting as project manager, worked with a team of expert consultants to promote the site’s inclusion within the Nottingham City Council Local Plan for residential development. This received some resistance with the Council seeking to protect the site as open space despite its private ownership. With the Council not wishing to allocate the site for residential development, CEG, supported by their expert project team, challenged Nottingham City Council in the High Court over the lawfulness of their emerging Local Plan.
An outline planning application was prepared and submitted in May 2012 which was subsequently refused in December of the same year. The development proposed comprised residential development and regeneration of allotments, incorporating new public open space, drainage infrastructure and ecological enhancement. CEG appealed the decision of the City Council in 2013 with an inquiry taking place in late 2013 until early 2014. CEG successfully won the appeal in May 2014.
Acting jointly with Savills Nottingham, Hawksmoor marketed the property for sale in 2016. During the marketing process Hawksmoor also continued in their project management role, overseeing the preparation of a number of applications to discharge planning conditions, agreeing the detail of the regeneration of the allotments and assembling a detailed information package. This in turn allowed interested parties to cost up the permitted development with a high degree of certainty and provide unconditional offers to purchase the site.
After an informal tender process when keen bids were made by a number of housebuilders, the property was sold in 2017 to Midlands housebuilder Avant Homes who received reserved matters consent to build 89 new dwellings. Avant Homes will also be delivering the 182 new allotment gardens which will be retained by the Radford Bridge Road Garden Holders’ Association.