The foundations are in, and the bricks are already being laid on the first structure to be built in the footprint of Lenton Court.
Demolition of Lenton’s five iconic tower blocks began in the Summer of 2013, making way for 142 new council homes. The 16 floor structures are being taken down as part of Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Homes’ Building a Better Nottingham programme.
Overall the programme will see nearly 400 brand new council homes built across the city in the next four years, with the site at Lenton being the biggest. As well as building homes, the programme is creating local jobs for Nottingham people.
The first homes to be built in the shadow of the remaining blocks, will form part of the brand new Independent Living complex for older residents, replacing the existing high-rise scheme at Newgate Court.
Being built by Nottingham City Homes’ construction partner, Keepmoat, the building will be the first to be completed on the site, and will be done before Newgate Court faces demolition. This will allow those existing residents who would like to move to the new building to have an easy transition.
Cllr Alex Ball, Executive Assistant with Responsibility for Housing at Nottingham City Council, said: “Starting work on the new Independent Living complex is a huge step forward in our plans to build new homes and create neighbourhoods that people want to live in. Lenton is the biggest site we are working on, with a good balance of family housing, homes for older residents, and some flats for individuals and couples.
“The City Council’s work with partners to build a better Nottingham is making a huge difference across the city to housing, transport, health, leisure and road infrastructure. I look forward to watching the new building develop and welcoming its new residents in a year’s time.”
The new scheme will be named Palmer Court after former local resident and conservationist, Ena May Palmer. The science teacher, who founded the Lenton History Society, and was named Citizen of Honour by Nottingham City Council in 1994 for her environmental work, died in 1998 at the age of 92.
Nick Murphy, Chief Executive of Nottingham City Homes, said: “It was important to us when naming the new roads and buildings on this site, that we took some influence from local people.
“Our teams worked together with the Lenton History Society to find historical characters who had made a difference to the local area, and whose memories should be celebrated.
“We then took a list of suggestions to the residents of Newgate Court to find their favourite. It was decided that Palmer Court was the most fitting way to remember Ena, a woman remembered by many local residents.”
The 54 new homes in Palmer Court will be built to Code 4 Sustainable Homes standards, providing high levels of thermal efficiency, security and modernity.
Martin Smithurst, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat, said: “We are proud to be working with our partners to transform the iconic Lenton site.
“We are committed to working with and creating opportunities for local people throughout our time on site, so it seems very fitting that the community have been able to choose the name.”
Work is expected to be complete on Palmer Court by Spring 2015, with the wider Lenton development due to be completed in 2017.
