Plans for Nottingham Guildhall Granted

Planning permissions have been granted by Nottingham City Council for the much anticipated multimillion-pound development of Nottingham’s Guildhall. The new plans will bring the currently vacant building into its next lifetime and will create more than 250 jobs in the city.

A planning application was submitted by a JV between Locksley Hotels Ltd and hotel group Ascena in May 2020, which detailed plans for a 162-bed, four-star hotel, which will include a rooftop fine dining restaurant, and a spa as well as wedding and conference facilities.

The hotel will also house luxury rooms and existing courtrooms in the building will be converted into bar and restaurant facilities, which means they will retain the existing original listed features. The modern extension to the northern elevation of the existing building will also utilise high-grade materials to give a nod to Nottingham’s lace heritage in its design.

John Wilby, Project Lead for Ascena, said: “Having most recently housed the city council’s offices, Nottingham’s Guildhall is an iconic building in the city centre, which has hosted a magistrates’ court, police station and fire station since it was built in 1887. After it has sat vacant for the best part of a decade, we are pleased to have hit this significant milestone in breathing new life into it. The development will not only bring jobs to the area but will also help elevate the city as a tourist destination.”

Councillor David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “I’m very pleased that these exciting proposals to turn Nottingham’s Guildhall into a high-quality hotel have been given the go ahead. It’s something we have been keen to happen for a long time and our planning officers have worked with the developers to help them shape a development which respects the history of this grand old building and bring it back into use.

“The mixture of uses on the rest of the site will help to reinvigorate this part of the city centre at a time when new developments and the jobs they bring are very welcome indeed.

“This investment in the city shows ongoing confidence in Nottingham and will complement other schemes that are transforming the city centre into a new destination for residents, businesses and visitors.”

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