Law Firm Has Supported Developer Throughout Major Scheme

The property team at Irwin Mitchell has advised Godwin Developments on its sale of the Bendigo Buildings, a consented scheme for new contemporary purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), to Bricks Group.

On completion the project will comprise 783 beds including of a mix of modern studio apartments, four, five and six-bedroom clusters and accessible studio rooms. It will also provide a range of indoor amenities and landscaped gardens as well as commercial units on the ground floor for residents and the neighbouring community.  

The Bendigo Buildings PBSA development is situated less than half a mile from Nottingham Trent University. It will regenerate the land currently occupied by a former Royal Mail sorting office, which has been vacant for nearly 20 years, as well as the adjacent car park on Cowan Street.  

Godwin Developments acquired the Royal Mail site in June 2020 and the Cowan Street site in 2021. The company secured full planning permission for both plots in the second half of 2021, to help meet substantial demand for student accommodation in the city.

The scheme expected to support the renewal of the St Ann’s area and deliver on a number of the Council’s objectives around student living and place making. 

Ben Acheson, property partner at Irwin Mitchell, along with Gurpreet Hayer advised Godwin Developments on the deal.

Expert Opinion

“The Bendigo Buildings represent a major new addition to the stock of high quality and environmentally sustainable student accommodation in Nottingham. I’m delighted to have been involved with Godwin Developments throughout the project and look forward to working with them again in the future.” Ben Acheson - Partner

Matt Chandler, managing director at Godwin Developments, said: “Representing one of our largest consented schemes to date, the Bendigo Buildings utilised our in-house expertise to work up and achieve planning for this compelling scheme on a brownfield site which will bring significant regeneration benefits to the city. We are pleased that dynamic student, hotel and co-living property company Bricks Group will now take the project forward into delivering a new thriving student hub for Nottingham.  

“Nottingham has significant unmet demand of student beds and with increasing student numbers expected as both universities continue their expansion plans, there is a clear requirement for more dedicated student spaces where young people can live, study, and socialise together. The Bendigo Buildings helps cater to this demand whilst also supporting the Council’s ambitions to keep the city centre vibrant, provide better quality student housing, and protect further traditional family housing from being converted for student occupation as well as bringing substantial investment to the city.” 

Irwin Mitchell’s Property team has also advised Godwin Developments on a number of other schemes and strategic transactions. In addition to the Bendigo Buildings, the team supported Godwin on the sale of Agard Street, a consented 142 student bed development in Derby.

The law firm also advised Godwin on the investment sale of a new, purpose-built drive thru and drive to roadside retail development in Stoke-on-Trent for leading coffee operator Costa Coffee and UK bakery giant Greggs.