Station car park plan put on hold

Network Rail said the car park needed to be functional

Plans for a new car park at Nottingham railway station that has been called a "chicken coop", have been put on hold.

Network Rail wants to build a six level metal car park on Queen's Road - creating 930 spaces - to cope with rising passenger numbers.

Council officers had previously said planning permission should be granted, but heritage groups had criticised the scale and design of the development.

The city council planning committee failed to make a final decision.

Hilary Sylvester, from the Victorian Society, claimed the design would overshadow the station's listed buildings.

"I have compared the metal grid design to a chicken coop and I stand by that, but I have also heard it called a packing crate which is also about right.

"We are broadly very happy with the redevelopment but we strongly feel this tall design will dominate the area, clash with the station buildings and block views of the castle."

Practical demands

English Heritage and the Nottingham Design Review Panel had also objected to the look and height of the car park.

Rachel Blackman from Network Rail defended the design, saying: "Nottingham is a wonderful station and we have tried very hard to keep as much of the original complex.

"But a car park needs to be functional, it needs to be safe and well lit and all of these things have been looked at."

The planning committee debated the design and materials for the car park, and whether or not it should have commercial space for offices.

The developers were asked to resubmit a new design before a final decision is made.