Nottingham City Council is set to approve plans for the development of new council homes in Bulwell and St Ann's, as part of its ongoing Building a Better Nottingham programme.

In Bulwell, the council is proposing to transform an under-used garage site located behind the Colston Road and Austin Street flats. Of the 54 garages currently on site, 33 are empty and the area has faced persistent issues with vandalism, fly-tipping, and fire damage. Two garages have been sealed off following fire incidents. Tenants currently renting garages will be supported in finding alternative nearby spaces.


The proposed development would see the site replaced with around 32 one-bedroom flats arranged in a four-storey block. The exact design will be subject to planning approval and further consultation, but the goal is to have the homes completed and available to rent by late 2027.

Meanwhile, in St Ann's, the Robin Hood Chase area, already home to retail units and Wainwright House, an independent living community built in 2012, could soon welcome around 15 new council homes. The site's remaining older shopfronts are largely vacant and have struggled to attract the commercial rent levels necessary for refurbishment, prompting the council to consider residential redevelopment.

All proposed new homes in both Bulwell and St Ann's would be energy efficient, with affordable rent levels to help reduce living costs for residents.

The council intends to fund the developments through Right to Buy Replacement funding. Recent changes to the rules now allow 100% of Right to Buy receipts to be reinvested into new council housing, up from the previous cap of 50%, significantly improving local authorities' ability to replace sold-off homes.