Nottingham’s Victoria Centre flats building ‘depressing’ tenants as revamp plan scrapped

‘Depressed’ tenants living in Nottingham’s tallest building have been devastated by the cancellation of a planned revamp due to ballooning costs. In January 2022, Nottingham City Homes told the hundreds of residents inside the 26-floor Victoria Centre flats complex that nine million pounds would soon be spent to replace all windows, renovate corridors, replace tower roofs, and provide new emergency lighting and fire doors.

But now, nearly a year after the works were supposed to start in summer 2022, the city council has admitted the full improvement project has been scrapped due to rising cost estimations. The authority, which brought its formerly arms-length housing provider Nottingham City Homes in-house in April, said it was looking for “alternative options” – with it considering a trial for a part refurbishment/part renewal programme.

But those living in the block feel like the city council has now broken an important promise to them. Lee Copson, 52, who has lived on the 25th floor of the behemoth structure for four years, said he and his neighbours were in disbelief when they found out the original plans had been cancelled.

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“We have definitely been left behind because all the other flat blocks, apart from Colwick Woods Court, have been upgraded. People have said to me before ‘isn’t that building derelict’ and I’ve had to explain it just looks like it.

“Some people cannot even open a window in their flat, which makes it stuffy and depressing – I’m lucky that I can. A lot of windows have been screwed shut because they are dangerous and some are boarded up.

“Everybody living here was looking forward to it. We couldn’t believe they had gone back on their word.”