Adlington Retirement Living, which designs, builds and operates Independent Retirement Communities, has submitted planning to build 96 new apartments on the site of the former Mary Gee Halls of Residence, in Leicester. The proposed retirement community will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments for the over 60’s, in a safe and secure environment, with the benefit of patios or walk-out balconies to all apartments. Dr Ed Gladman, Chief Executive of Adlington Retirement Living, said: “Our vision is to empower the older generation to live a long, happy and healthy life. We do this by creating quality retirement communities in safe and secure environments and providing our homeowners with stimulating activities, extensive communal facilities and beautiful private gardens. “There’s an urgent need to address the shortage of appropriate housing for older people and integrated retirement communities (IRCs) are a very undersupplied part of the market. An Adlington Retirement Living community provides genuinely lifechanging homes for those individuals who move in.” The site on Ratcliffe Road has been vacant since it closed in 2018. The proposed design-led development will be an addition to the Stoneygate Conservation Area, complementing the character of the surrounding buildings. In addition to their own apartments, homeowners will be able to spend time in the gardens, hair salon, therapy suite, homeowners’ lounge and restaurant.

Plans for a new Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Nottingham, at 2 Queens Road, have been recommended for approval ahead of a Planning Committee meeting next week. The application, by CMPG on behalf of Zen Nottingham, involves a building reaching up to six and nine storeys. The scheme would comprise 31 studios and 50 cluster beds. The cluster beds would be provided as 10 five bed cluster flats. On the ground floor, communal space, a laundry room, plant rooms, and bin store are planned. To the eastern side of the building a service yard is proposed which would include temporary parking spaces for loading and unloading, as well as a cycle store. A patio area would be provided to the rear of the site and an outdoor roof terrace is also proposed. Currently, the application site is partially occupied by a vacant, two-storey building which was originally a cinema auditorium. Planning permission was previously granted for the erection of a nine and six storey building to provide 39 apartments and two ancillary commercial units at the site. The new PBSA scheme is largely the same, but now proposes student accommodation in place of apartments and removes the ground floor commercial units.

Raleigh, the British bicycle brand, has relocated to Durban House in Eastwood, Nottingham, after being based locally on Church Street in Eastwood since the early 2000s. Durban House, built in the late 19th century, is renowned for its historical significance as it was once the wages office for the local collieries where the father of the famed writer D.H. Lawrence worked. The property, which later became a D.H. Lawrence Heritage Centre, has been a symbol of local heritage and cultural pride, so was a natural site of interest for Raleigh whose past is also entwined with the local area. Broxtowe Borough Council had two primary objectives: to restore Durban House to its former glory and to create a functional business space. Raleigh’s move to the premises achieves both goals, marking just the first stage of a longer-term plan between the Council and Raleigh. Work started on turning Durban House into a Community Hub in 2021, but a bid for Levelling Up Funding was unsuccessful. The challenges this created have now been solved by the agreement with Raleigh. The Council, through UKSPF, has identified new locations for community activities. Some community projects connected to the Hub, such as the Gardening Group, will continue to work on the grounds of Durban House and the surrounding area. Raleigh is committed to supporting community activities outside of working hours wherever possible. Chris Slater, Managing Director at Raleigh, said: “We are pleased to remain in Eastwood and deeply appreciate the ongoing support and collaboration from Broxtowe Council in facilitating this move. Raleigh’s rich heritage is deeply intertwined with the Borough, making it essential for us to stay connected to our local roots. “Durban House represents an exciting next step in our long-term strategy, offering a space that not only honours our storied past but also aligns with our vision for future growth as we continue to invest in our ambitious plans for the bicycle business.” Milan Radulovic MBE, Leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Raleigh to Durban House in Eastwood. It’s vital that we support our local businesses and particularly strategically important businesses like Raleigh. We’ve been working on this partnership for a number of months to secure Raleigh with a new home. “As soon as we heard the news that they needed to relocate their head offices we wanted to ensure we worked with the team to support them through this change. It’s also been really important that we ensure that we can keep these jobs in the local area and help support our local economy. “The project was made possible by support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and used a new local enterprise – Wilborne Painting & Decorating Limited to complete the renovation, further supporting local jobs.”

CCTV, intruder and fire alarm specialist, JKE Fire & Security has snapped up offices in Mickleover, allowing it to “serve the local area with ease” and “branch out further.” Salloway Property Consultants were appointed to market the former Kip McGrath offices in June of this year following the tenant’s decision to relocate. Office premises in this location are something of a rarity given that this is a busy parade with a strong retail focus. However, after a brief but intense marketing campaign, terms were swiftly agreed and the new tenant secured, taking occupation of the first floor offices. William Speed of Salloway Property Consultants said: “It is great to be able to place a local business into a prime location within Mickleover. The letting to JKE Fire & Security emphasises the fact that local centres are still top of the list for many occupiers. “Demand is still strong in these locations and we would strongly recommend that anyone looking to sell or let their premises contacts us to discuss potential options.” Dan Mather, owner of JKE Fire & Security, added: “We are thrilled to have found such a well-located office in Mickleover. This move will allow us to serve the local area with ease whilst providing us with the opportunity to branch out further utilising the excellent transport links.”