Plans have been unveiled for an amenity-rich co-living scheme with 320 studio apartments, just south of Nottingham Railway Station and tram stop. Wavensmere Homes has published its plans for the redevelopment of the Waterway House site to seek feedback from local people, prior to submission of a full planning application.
Accessed off Crocus Street in the city’s Canalside Quarter, the facilities proposed for the new residential building include a gym, padel court, communal dining area, games room, lounges, co-working space and meeting rooms. Designed by Corstorphine & Wright, Wavensmere has selected national co-living specialist VervLife as the operator for the scheme. Redford Developments Limited selected Wavensmere to bring this site forward earlier this year.
Nottingham City Council previously awarded planning consent for an eight-storey apartment scheme with car parking at ground level. The new plans being put forward by Wavensmere include five habitable storeys, together with a roof level for a padel court and open air social space. The entire ground floor of the brick-built building is proposed for additional amenity provision to create a highly desirable new community within this popular city centre location.
Ben Clarke, technical director for Wavensmere Homes, said:
“We are excited to unveil our plans for this outstanding addition to Nottingham city centre’s residential offering. High-quality, amenity-rich co-living developments offer a unique opportunity to foster a new community, whilst providing a bridge for a wide range of people until they are in a position to get onto the property ladder.
“The scheme has been designed in partnership with VervLife who have extensive operational experience in both co-living and BTR markets across the UK. While each studio apartment at Waterway House will be self-contained with an en-suite bathroom and kitchenette, the masterchef-style communal kitchen, dining area, games room and lounges, co-working space, meeting rooms and fitness facilities will bring people together.
“We are consulting with stakeholders and welcome comments and feedback from local people to ensure this brownfield site is redeveloped in the most sustainable way.”
The 0.25 Ha island site is bordered by Waterway Street to the south, Newthorpe Street to the east, Crocus Street to the north, and with an area of public realm and the tram line to the west.
The existing site comprises Waterway House – a vacant 1970s two-storey office building with around 750sqm of floorspace – and cleared hardstanding areas. Previously owned by Nottingham City Council, the site has lain largely vacant and unoccupied since 2021.
There is an established residential estate to the south of Waterway House, while the area immediately surrounding the railway station has been historically more commercial in character. A plethora of amenities are close by, including Queens Walk play park and recreation ground. Also within walking distance of the site is the point where Nottingham Canal connects to the River Trent.
The nearest bus stops are only 200m from Waterway House, with 21 routes providing services into the city core and out into the suburbs of Nottingham.
Headquartered in Edgbaston, Birmingham, Wavensmere Homes has 3,500 homes on site, or currently in planning. The 10-year-old company is in the final phase of the £175m redevelopment of the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary – Nightingale Quarter has brought 925 energy-efficient houses, apartments, and commercial space to the previously vacant 18.5-acre site in Derby city centre. The multi-award winning residential developer is constructing six additional major brownfield regeneration schemes, located in central Birmingham, Cheltenham, Derbyshire, Ipswich and Wolverhampton, and has further projects in the immediate pipeline.
Feedback can be submitted until 5th December 2025 by completing the online form on www.waterwayhouse.co.uk, via email to waterwayhousenottingham(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)turleysc.co.uk, or via a Freepost comments form that has been distributed locally.