Appeal made in bid to get canalside flats approved

A decision to refuse a block of flats described by planners as "the wrong building in the wrong place" has been appealed.

Broxtowe Borough Council unanimously refused an application for a two and three-storey block of 29 flats to the north of Beeston Lock on Riverside Road, in Beeston Rylands, in January.

Councillors criticised the design of the building as "out of character" and raised concerns over traffic issues, privacy of residents living nearby, flooding risks, and environmental impact.

The developer has now taken the decision to the Planning Inspectorate in a bid to have it overturned and the development approved.

Planning and Design Group Ltd, on behalf of applicant Beeston Marina Ltd, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the site, currently home to five static caravans, would be split into two blocks to help maintain views of the canal while the towpath would act as a buffer between the canal and the buildings.

It said Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which runs the nearby Attenborough Nature Reserve, had not objected while other multi-storey buildings already exist further along the Nottingham and Beeston Canal.

Beeston Civic Society, one of 96 individuals and groups which objected at the time, plans to make representations to the Planning Inspectorate.

Tamar Feast, a trustee of the society, said: "We think it fails on every level of planning policy.

"We believe aspects of biodiversity and the local wildlife have been overlooked.

"It is out of scale and I think it will have a significant negative impact for the local residents. These homes aren't affordable."

Should the appeal be upheld, Broxtowe Borough Council could be forced to pay the developer's appeal costs.

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