NOTTINGHAM’S city within a city, The Island Quarter development, has strengthened its project delivery team with the appointment of Steve Thornton as project manager. Bringing more than 35 years’ experience in the construction industry with him, Steve is set to add impetus to the development team, ensuring each phase is
THE ISLAND QUARTER WILL ACCELERATE INVESTMENT IN CITY, SAYS DEVELOPER THE Island Quarter will create a “new city within a city” and represents an opportunity unlike any other in the UK, according to the developer behind the major scheme. Robert Ware, chief executive of The Conygar Investment Company, says that work on the 36-acre site is progressing at pace, with the first phase of the development
A UNIQUE ‘cohesive use’ scheme featuring a 223-room hotel, extensive food and beverage space and a day spa which developers hope will bring international interest to Nottingham has been submitted for planning today (4 January). Proposals for the ground-breaking, multi-million scheme also include a 100m-long atrium, co-working space, apartments, green
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
NOTTINGHAM’S city within a city, The Island Quarter development, has strengthened its project delivery team with the appointment of Steve Thornton as project manager. Bringing more than 35 years’ experience in the construction industry with him, Steve is set to add impetus to the development team, ensuring each phase is completed on schedule. Steve stepped into the role in October 2021 and is responsible for assisting the wider team with the planning for each phase of the development. Having worked in the industry since 1987, he has been brought on to The Island Quarter due to his extensive build experience and additional involvement in civils projects. Steve said: “I’m delighted to be a part of the team delivering The Island Quarter to Nottingham. Developments of this scale and significance don’t come along very often so it’s a once in a career opportunity. For me, it is particularly remarkable to play a role in bringing it to fruition as I’ve lived in Nottingham for almost 30 years, it’s the place I call home, and I’m excited to create a space the city will benefit from for generations to come.” Prior to this role, Steve worked on a range of developments across the country, from the Canary Wharf Project in London to his recent work on the local Lace Market Point. Steve pairs his strong built environment knowledge with his further experience in civils, which lends itself to the demands of the The Island Quarter site, where a mixture of both is required. Robert Ware, chief executive of the Conygar Investment Company, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Steve’s expertise to The Island Quarter. He’s already making an impact on the efficient running of the site, having hit the ground running earlier this year. As work on site is rapidly progressing, and phase 1A is set to open in Spring 2022, Steve will play a pivotal role in pushing the plans forward, on time, working with the relevant parties to do so. “We are continuing to develop our plans for the later stages of the site, at the same time as delivering the initial ones. Steve’s role will ensure the pre-construction procedures are in place and that progress is monitored once work begins, a position that will be vital as we advance through to completion at each phase.” The Island Quarter will open its doors to Canal Turn, the first phase, in spring 2022. Meanwhile, planning approval is expected within the next few weeks for phase 1B, which includes a hotel, 247 apartments and extensive food and beverage outlets. To find out more about The Island Quarter and Canal Turn, please visit: theislandquarter.com
THE ISLAND QUARTER WILL ACCELERATE INVESTMENT IN CITY, SAYS DEVELOPER THE Island Quarter will create a “new city within a city” and represents an opportunity unlike any other in the UK, according to the developer behind the major scheme. Robert Ware, chief executive of The Conygar Investment Company, says that work on the 36-acre site is progressing at pace, with the first phase of the development set to open to the public in early next summer. The developer also confirmed that the scheme has been included in Nottingham City Council’s bid for the Levelling Up Fund, which could potentially provide significant funding for some of the infrastructure works required to unlock areas of the site. Ware said: “We’re very pleased with the progress of work on the site’s first phase, Canal Turn. There are very few cleared central sites in major European cities with this potential to create and curate an entire community and, when you combine that with the fact that Nottingham has one of the youngest demographics in the UK, you can see why we are so excited by the scale of the opportunity and what it can bring to the city.” Once complete, Canal Turn will bring a new three-storey restaurant, bar and exhibition space to the city’s waterfront, as well as a canalside plaza and outdoor stage for events. Planning applications have been submitted for a striking cohesive-use building incorporating hotels, rental apartments and office space, which will sit adjacent to Canal Turn and also a purpose-built 702-bed student accommodation project, situated on the Manvers Street side of the vast site. With designs developing for other projects on site, the overall plan for the entire site are proceeding apace. Ware said: “The Island Quarter is a massive opportunity for Nottingham – the city has an ambitious regeneration strategy and our site will bring 4,500 jobs to support that, as well as millions of pounds of inward investment into the city. “The student accommodation aspect of the scheme is particularly important. The city council has recently highlighted the potential 7,000 shortfall in student beds over the coming years, which illustrates both the draw of Nottingham and the scale of the need for purpose-built student spaces, allowing existing student accommodation to revert to family housing. To help accelerate the development’s progress, The Island Quarter has been included in the city council’s Levelling Up Fund bid, which is designed support ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure projects that will boost local economies. Ware said: “While we already have investment in place to support the development of the various phases that make up the site, the Levelling Up Fund allows us to accelerate work on-site so that Nottingham can make the most of the economic benefits of The Island Quarter as quickly as possible. “There are major infrastructure works that need to take place on-site to enable this, and grant funding will mean that this can take place immediately and, crucially, speed up delivery. “We are in a prime position for the grant funding because we are already on-site and can guarantee we will use the funds immediately to show real results” The site will also help support the city’s ambitious climate targets, bringing high-performing, environmentally friendly buildings and improved green-blue infrastructure with a focus on sustainable and recycled building materials. Ware said: “It’s also important to make clear that this won’t be a concrete jungle. We want to introduce beautiful, open green spaces for people to relax and enjoy, as well as reimagining the waterfront overlooking the canal and bringing to life a neglected part of Nottingham. “The Island Quarter will be a new city within a city, complementing the best Nottingham already has to offer with its own unique proposition.” For more information and to add support to the campaign, visit: theislandquarter.com
A UNIQUE ‘cohesive use’ scheme featuring a 223-room hotel, extensive food and beverage space and a day spa which developers hope will bring international interest to Nottingham has been submitted for planning today (4 January). Proposals for the ground-breaking, multi-million scheme also include a 100m-long atrium, co-working space, apartments, green public realm and leisure facilities. The latest phase of The Island Quarter development is believed to be the UK’s first cohesive-use development, incorporating multiple uses within the same flowing space. The ambitious plans submitted to Nottingham City Council feature a stunning bar and busy forum for people to meet. It has been hailed as a ‘UK first’ which leads the way in terms of sustainability, innovation and engagement with nature and green space in a post-Covid world. The proposal – which will create more than 550 jobs when completed – is believed to be the UK’s first cohesive-use development, incorporating multiple uses within the same flowing space, similar to Roppongi Hills in Tokyo. Richard Watson, of developer Conygar, said: “The Island Quarter is the biggest city centre regeneration schemes in the UK, and we believe it is vital for the development to bring something outstanding to Nottingham, for which the city and the Midlands can be proud of. “We are fortunate to have a site in Nottingham with its great heritage and an international reputation – with developments such as this and, among other schemes, the renovation of Nottingham Castle, we want to ensure it retains its rightful place as the Queen of the Midlands and a core UK city. “It is an ambitious project – unmatched across the UK. The scheme will raise the profile of Nottingham, so we are working closely with our team of architects and designers to create a lasting legacy and community for Nottingham.” The first glimpse of the proposals highlights such features as large archways, wide open spaces within the hotel areas and an atrium to create a light and airy atmosphere for residents and visitors. Several aspects of the design have been created to meet changing needs anticipated in the aftermath of the pandemic, such as flexible spaces, relaxing community areas and green public realm. David Jones, director at Axis Planning, which has coordinated all planning-related inputs on the scheme since its inception, said: “This latest phase of the Island Quarter is groundbreaking in a number of ways. The innovative blending of hotel, office and residential space and the distinctive combination of high quality internal and external environments will, I’m sure, generate significant footfall in this soon to be revitalised part of the city”. “The ground floor provides an extensive, mixed-use food and beverage-led experience incorporating restaurant, bar, forum and atrium space in a way that hasn’t been done before in the UK. “The mix of linked buildings together with integral and adjacent open spaces provides a fluidity within the development which will be essential in a post-Covid world. We’re convinced this will create a truly unique experience for people to visit and to stay, live, work and play. “The scheme will complement future plans for the city, such as the highly anticipated redevelopment of the Broadmarsh. Together, these developments will lead the way for the ambitious Southside regeneration.” The Island Quarter masterplan, which received outline planning approval in April 2019, has been designed with a full lifecycle of uses, ranging from student housing, office space and community living. The development will introduce a network of public realm and access routes for pedestrians and cyclists, with green spaces at the heart of the plans. Operating in tandem with Canal Turn, the opening phase of the scheme, the architecture of this phase mirrors the heritage buildings opposite, as well as taking inspiration from the nearby Victorian railway buildings. James Dilley, director at architect Jestico+Whiles, said: “This design truly blends with Canal Turn and its surroundings. It is about place making, focused on a spirit of community, conviviality and collaboration. The design we have brought forward really reflects the synergy of uses that the wider scheme will create, and we hope will create a ripple effect across the entire site and across Nottingham itself. “This building is inspired by the rich and layered context of The Island Quarter, respecting and referencing its centuries of heritage while creating something entirely new. This isn’t helicopter architecture – we aren’t just dropping something in and hoping it works with its surroundings, it is born of its special context.” Alongside the hotel – which will provide short and long-stay accommodation with city views from a landmark 17-storey building – the latest phase will feature 3,000 sqm of serviced flexible office space. The latest phase will also see the creation of significant amounts of landscaped green space in the form of a linear park, creating a clear link through the site from the city centre to the suburbs to the east of the city. For more information on The Island Quarter, visit theislandquarter.com.
