The Post is reporting that planning application is pending for yet another 78 student flats in what they are calling Perry's factory but is better known to squatters as the J.B. Spray. A developer called Trivelles International wants to turn the grade II listed building into yet another identikit batch of student accommodation, no doubt at ridiculous rents to keep the riffraff out. It will join the other flats and "execulets" that have monopolised the Russell Street area and increase the gentrification of the town end of Radford.

It wasn't always this way. The J.B. Spray has been squatted a number of times over the past 10 years and used for community events and to house people who would otherwise be homeless. The squatters successfully stopped an eviction attempt by a property management company in 2010, was occupied for community purposes in 2009, hosted the week long Spring into Action series of climate action events in 2007 and was occupied in 2006.

It seems the squatting community aren't the only ones who are against the development. Comments on the Post article are uniformly negative:"Nearly every new development seems to be for students....Has the city sold its soul to the university's?", "Increasing supply with little demand, these schemes will become ghost developments", "To many students flat in Nottingham". Instead people want "affordable housing for everyone" which seems a vain hope given that Nottingham City Council is in the process of pulling down as many council flats as possible and putting all their residents on the ever expanding waiting list.

Squatting is still necessary!