BILDURN, the property company behind the successful Ibis Hotel and office development in Nottingham, is planning a range of modern offices near the city's Railway Station.

Bildurn, led by businessman Sean Akins, has assembled a 1.25-acre site in Carrington Street and Station Street.

It includes the former Gresham Hotel in Carrington Street and Granby Hotel in Station Street as well as the former Parkside Club.

Bildurn is looking at a 200,000 sq ft development of largely "bite-size" offices.

The site runs along the east side of Carrington Street south of the Nottingham Canal and along Station Street as far as the tram viaduct. It excludes the Bentinck Hotel and solicitors offices next door.

Architects are working on the scheme, which is expected to go for planning consent in the autumn.

The idea is for a range of offices of different sizes which would be rolled out with demand.

Mr Akins wants to take advantage of what he believes will be a strong business and professional district around the railway station. He said: "The site has very clear strengths – it is near the station and the proposed lines two and three of the tram system.

"Concentrating the development on the city's transport nodes is the right thing to do.

"The site is close to the city centre; close to leisure and culture."

Mr Akins said that although the property sector spoke about 100,000 sq ft developments, in his view few would happen.

"The take-up average over 10 years is less than the number of schemes which come forward," he said.

He said there was a need for a collection of closely-located offices.

"Nottingham's office provision is fairly scattered," he added. "There is a convincing narrative that the Southside area will carry a business district with Loxley House, Trent House and Waterfront Plaza."

The new complex of offices will be aimed at creating a professional and legal quarter.

A number of Nottingham law firms and accountants could become footloose because they are at the tail end of their leases.

This could make Southside attractive to those seeking modern offices.