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Arboretum Street, NOTTINGHAM, NG1 4JB

Formerly Clarence Lodge, built by Emile Vandenberg, 1875, for a lace manufacturer. The detailing is quite eccentric. Its time as a private house was brief as Nottingham High School for Girls moved here in 1880 and has not budged since.

A glance at the rear of the senior section of Nottingham Girls’ High School shows how the school was formed from a number of Victorian houses. The school has obviously expanded considerably and the latest innovation that is being considered is a purpose-built performing arts building. This, however, is proving to be a contentious issue as far as some of the school’s neighbours are concerned given the fact that they are worried about the increased pressure that this will place on the available street parking spaces. Co-incidentally, the school is immediately adjacent to Nottingham High School and some extracurricular activities, such as joint theatrical productions, are organised with the boys from this school.

Nottingham Girls' High School buildings line the road, backing on to The Arboretum. The nearest building, on the corner of Addison Street, is a performing arts centre - David Hallam-Jones’s Image] shows it under construction in February 2016.

The stand is for Pedals the Nottingham cycling campaign group. In The Arboretum.

An annual event staged in The Arboretum.

Anyone travelling along Arboretum Street in the Waverley Street direction will inevitably pass this greenhouse-like structure housing the Main Reception and the Senior School premises of Nottingham Girls' High School. This is an independent fee-paying girls' private school established in 1875. The roll numbers 1070 girls of between 4-18yrs of age and it counts Gina Birch - bass player with The Raincoats, Helen Cresswell - children's author, Helen Karagounis, née Thieme - Olympic athlete, Sudha Kheterpal - percussionist, Stella Rimington - former Director-General of MI5 and Julie Myerson - author & writer for the Financial Times among its past pupils.

An annual treat.

A view of some of the construction work occurring on the Girls' High School site from its boundary wall with the arboretum. The building work is occurring on the corner of Addison Street and Arboretum Street, to the right of this image. It seems to be having little impact on general users of the arboretum, although this bench is a popular gathering place for marginalised citizens. One of the school's older buildings off Arboretum Street is also visible.

An eerie, ghost-town like stillness appeared to be hovering over the Addison Street end of Arboretum Street when this picture was taken on a Saturday morning in April. These buildings house the junior section of Nottingham Girls' High School, an independent fee-paying girls' private school that was established in 1875. The roll embraces approximately 1069 girls of between 4-18yrs of age and it counts Gina Birch - bass player with The Raincoats, Helen Cresswell - the children's author, Helen Karagounis, née Thieme - the Olympic athlete, Sudha Kheterpal - the percussionist, Stella Rimington - the former Director-General of MI5 and Julie Myerson - the author & writer for the Financial Times among its past pupils.

From its Addison Street end to its Waverley Street end in the distance this image shows clearly how most of the southern side of the road is occupied by buildings belonging to The Girls' High School. The construction site entrance for the new Performing Arts Centre is clearly obvious. Although members of the Arboretum Tenants' and Residents' Association expressed concern that this development would lead to increased traffic, noise pollution and be out of keeping with the Victorian architecture of Addison Street, the Council gave permission for it. The premises are expected to provide better accommodation for pupils for performances, assemblies and teaching. It will include a 275 seat auditorium, improved back-of-house facilities and a reception foyer. In addition, a smaller 70 seat studio will provide for smaller performances. The facilities will be predominantly for school use, although will include an ancillary element to provide for commercial and community use, i.e. occasional performances or rehearsals by external theatre companies, amateur dramatic groups, local schools or by local community groups. The budget is approximately £6.5m and it is due to be completed in 2016.