Approval expected for 500-job creating plans for old tobacco factory

Up to 500 jobs could be created after plans for more than 500,000 sq ft of commercial space on the site of an old tobacco factory in Nottingham were tipped for approval.Henry Boot Developments is behind the bid for the Horizon factory building which used to be the base of Imperial Tobacco’s UK production and distribution facility since the late 1960s before production was relocated abroad two years ago.The Thane Road site has been earmarked for 501,124 sq ft of industrial space as well as 130,404 sq ft for a potential car showroom.Nottingham City Council’s planning committee is set to make a final decision on the application at a meeting on Wednesday 21 November.The RDC building is to be retained as a distribution facility by Imperial Tobacco.The four-storey factory building has been closed for some time and is due to be demolished by the end of the year.The applicant has also prepared three options for the site, depending on the future occupier’s requirements, with the first featuring about 474,128 sq ft of internal floor space for the industrial and warehouse scheme and three other employment buildings providing a total of 22,388 sq ft of internal space.The second option includes 382,732 sq ft of space for the warehouse and 21,603 sq ft for the employment buildings while the third features 347,964 sq ft of space and 153,159 sq ft of space respectfully.Henry Boot Developments is currently in negotiations to secure occupiers for the development and permission is not yet being sought for either of the three options.