Blueprint submits plans for next phases of city centre neighbourhood

A unique city centre townhouse development in Nottingham’s bustling Sneinton Market has submitted plans for the next phases of development.

Phase 1 of Fruit Market is almost complete and Blueprint, the sustainable homes specialist delivering the project, have been working with Letts Wheeler architects on the proposals for phases two and three, set to begin in early 2024.

The next phases will consist of a further 22 townhouses and 4 duplex apartments, as well as shared community gardens.

The new neighbourhood at Fruit Market offers an alternative to typical city centre housing development in Nottingham, where most new homes are high-rise, student accommodation or built-to-rent.

Phase one of Fruit Market was recently shortlisted for the Housing Design Awards for its design quality and innovation. This architectural integrity has been maintained in the phase 2 and 3 designs, including subtle variations in the external appearance of homes not often seen in new housing.

The scheme is fully gas free. Instead of gas boilers, residents will be provided with individual air-source heat pumps to heat their homes and provide hot water. The high levels of thermal insulation and underfloor heating included in the Fruit Market designs are an excellent fit for heat pump technology, which is widely seen as the future of home heating.

Homes on the Fruit Market site will have their own private outdoor spaces as well as a shared courtyard garden, which will provide residents with a tranquil green space to enjoy. Blueprint hopes to work with local wildlife charities to bring in their expertise to maximise biodiversity on offer in these shared garden areas.

Alec Hamlin, development manager at Blueprint said: “Sneinton Market is such a thriving area of Nottingham and we’re excited to play our part in its regeneration, bringing new family housing to the city centre. Phase one of Fruit Market is already well underway, and we’re excited to get going on the next phases.

“Our ambition for Fruit Market is to help foster a community, promoting a sharing economy between our residents. We’re developing communal spaces where our residents can come together and socialise.

Phase one of Fruit Market is due to be completed by early 2024, and we are hoping to be able to start construction on the next phase of homes at around the same time.”

Blueprint is supported by igloo Regeneration and the Fruit Market development will follow igloo’s trusted Footprint approach, a United Nations-recognised sustainable investment methodology, ensuring that each of its schemes is highly sustainable and designed to positively impact people’s wellbeing and the planet, creating great places for people to enjoy, both now and in the future.