Bondholder’s key role in student flats planning success

Consultancy Idom Merebrook has revealed the key role it played in helping a new student apartments scheme in Derby secure planning permission at the second time of asking.

Last week, property developer Trent Pads was given the green light by Derby City Council to build the new accommodation, in Agard Street, for University of Derby students.

The development had been initially refused planning permission on air quality grounds back in September, 2019.

However, using a combination of expertise and innovative thinking, the team at Idom Merebrook came up with a solution, which resulted in the scheme getting the go-ahead.

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The planning refusal in 2019 was on the basis that the proposed development could result in the creation of a street canyon effect potentially restricting the dispersion of air pollution.

Idom Merebrook came up with a redesign, with the the facade of the proposed development ‘stepped back’ from the road by four metres creating space, reducing the canyon effect and significantly lowering concentrations of air pollutants in the area.

Katherine Johnson, associate director at Idom Merebrook, said: “Our team worked closely with the client, planning consultant and architect to assess the improvement in air quality terms, which could be achieved by increasing the distance between the facade of the proposed building and the adjacent road.

“This was an iterative process undertaken using specialist dispersion modelling software and resulted in a redesign of the scheme that, while significantly reducing the impact on local air quality, also remained commercially viable.”