Nottingham’s first major Build to Rent scheme, the 350-apartment Saffron Court project, has started development.

The scheme, designed by architects maber and built by Winvic Construction for the Cassidy Group and Cording Real Estate Group, is now on site and ‘proving a catalyst for the regeneration of the city’s south side’. A neighbouring development is now also underway.

Saffron Court is being developed by the Cassidy Group and Cording Real Estate Group on the old Hicking Pentecost site close to London Road. Maber are providing architecture and landscape design services, while they also assisted the developer to secure planning consent for a revised scheme layout through a Section 73 agreement, granted by the city council in January this year.

“It’s exciting to see this project really kick-starting the area,” Tim Boxford, the project lead for maber, said. “We’ve combined contemporary design and materials with more traditional materials, and ensured the scale of the development is in keeping with the historic Hicking Pentecost warehouse.”

The scheme, in common with the new generation of Build to Rent developments, includes a wide range of facilities to serve the development’s assortment of studio and two-bedroom apartments. The facilities on offer range from under-croft parking to a communal residents’ lounge on the ground floor. In addition, there are two large, raised courtyard and landscaped terraces at the first floor level.

Post and grocery storage, a gym, a meeting space and a central reception with concierge service will also be provided.

The scheme, which is set to complete in June 2019, consists of stylish apartments with private balconies and terraces, while the larger apartments offer walk-through wardrobes between two double bedrooms and en suite bathrooms. To help breathe new life into the local streetscape, the ground floor units have direct access to the street, with the hope of helping residents feel part of the local community.