Internal work planned for 'landmark' clock tower

A prominent 126-year-old clock tower is set for a "comprehensive" internal revamp.

The Grade II listed brick tower outside the Victoria Centre in Nottingham is a remnant of a former train station on the site.

Plans have now been put forward to the city council to repair and replace internal features such as the wooden flooring, with the proposals stating water damage represents "a significant safety issue".

Nigel Wheatley, the centre manager, said the repairs are for maintenance rather than due to any urgent risk, as they want to protect the building.

According to documents submitted to Nottingham City Council, the 37m (121ft) tower's clocks are accessed through a series of timber floors and a spiral staircase.

The applicant, Profectus, on behalf of owner SGS Group, said leaks and damp meant the timber was "beginning to fail" and this "represents a significant safety issue" because workers need to be able to access the stairs for maintenance.

The plans added: "Without remediation, there is obviously potential for irreparable damage to the wider clock tower structure over time."

They said the proposed works are "comprehensive" but will be internal and not change the exterior.

The work will involve replacing all the timber flooring on levels one, two, three and four with matching material, and putting in new beams to improve stability.

Wheatley would not say how much the works would cost, and said it was difficult to put a time estimate on it.

He added no disruption for shoppers was expected.

He said: "This is just about doing remedial repairs.

"We obviously have to put in planning to be able to go in and do the work and we're just doing due diligence, like we should do, if we're looking after such an important landmark.

"I've been here for 10 years and I can say it's probably the first time in a while we've done any real serious work in there.

"What's really good about this, it draws the attention of the city on how old that piece of architecture is and the importance it played in the city."

The application will now be considered by Nottingham City Council.

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