I wrote a previous blog about Planning in Nottingham and the changes about to be put in place.

But a new development has taken place – both the leader of the Council, Jon Collins and the developer, Bob Monk have both broken cover to say how they dislike the Trinity Square scheme in Nottingham. It was completed in the summer, but is not yet fully let.

I have to say that the rear part of it – facing the Cornerhouse – is pretty awful. Once again, we have been sucked into fashionable architectural features. This time a ‘square’. But did we need a square in this location? We have plenty of open space outside the Council House! Part of our history and uniqueness is in the myriad of passages and alleyways around the town, but we seem to have become obsessed with ‘squares’. The relatively weak market hasn’t helped with the vacant shops still boarded up. When the development was started I guess that there was a confidence around the scheme.

Bob Monk complains about design by committee and this is what has happened previously in Nottingham; it happened on the Castle College Maid Marian Way scheme (where I was directly involved). Unfortunately despite many meetings that you have with officers on a major scheme – the actual decisions are made by Politicians. Despite the fact that Planning should be decided on Planning Grounds – the decisions can be politically motivated.

The other major issue is that there is a disconnect between the commercial reality and the planning system. Major applications take too long – as has been seen here the market has completely changed during the build period. Unfortunately the ‘process’ is slow and unresponsive. At Castle College it took 18 months from our initial approach to actually getting a resolution to grant consent (in technical terms this is not actually planning permission! – there is still work to do).

Bob Monk would have spent a considerable sum by the time he got consent (even the compromised one). It is likely that the market was moving away and he had little choice than to press the ‘go’ button on the scheme – even though he had concerns.

Many years ago I was told not to go to a Planning Committee meeting by a well respected Planning Consultant. I went anyway – and was appalled to hear some of the wildly inaccurate comments made (it wasn’t the City on this occasion). My frustration was that you have no right of reply. Some of the comments were just political drivel.

But what we need to do here is support the work Jennifer Dearing is doing to improve the Planning system in Nottingham. Councillors on the Committee have their part to play too. The impression I have is that there is a realisation that it needs to change – we have had a few years in the wilderness without a Chief Planning Officer. That has not helped.

And in the meantime – if someone does have a good idea to improve Trinity Square I think Bob Monk and Jon Collins might like to hear from you! Just in case you wondered – a tennis court isn’t a good idea …