Land where brothers died in Mapperley set to be sold off for development

A total of 14 homes could be built on the plot

A plot of land where two brothers died has now been put on the market and could soon be redeveloped. A total of 14 homes could be built on Sandford Road, Mapperley, following the demolition of a house where two brothers, Trevor and Alan Leighton, died.

The pair, aged 25 and 22, died in December 1992 from carbon monoxide poisoning in the detached bungalow they were renting. The house was demolished 30 years later, in 2022, and the land has now been put on the market for redevelopment for £1,200,000.

Planning permission has already been granted by Gedling Borough Council for the construction of eight one-bedroom apartments, four two-bedroom apartments, one three-bedroom apartment and one three-bedroom detached house. The application submitted in 2023 reads: "Following the demolition of 2 Sandford Road, the development plot is currently occupied by a detached bungalow located at the registered address of 6 Sandford Road."

The proposals also detailed the demolition of 6 Sandford Road to provide vehicular access to the development. The document reads: "We consider the demolition of the existing building currently occupying 6 Sandford Road to provide vehicular access for a residential development with off-street parking and private and shared open space and private bin stores to be a highly positive proposal for the allocated development site and surrounding residential area."

Each of the 14 properties has been allocated private off-street car parking spaces off Porchester Road and to the rear lower end of the development leading off Sandford Road. The tragic deaths of the two brothers were raised in Parliament in March 1994 by then Nottingham East MP John Heppell.

He said: "They realised that there was something wrong. However they did not know that the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning were the result of a faulty gas appliance.

"Something must be done to ensure that such avoidable tragedies do not happen. No court action or feelings of vengeance will bring back those brothers or any of the other victims. Not even justice can do that."

The landlord of the bungalow was later convicted on two health and safety charges in January 1995 and fined £32,000.