Wavensmere Homes and Wilson Bowden Developments have submitted a planning application to Derby City Council for 186 one- and two-bedroom apartments on land in the city’s Cathedral Quarter.
The proposed Cathedral One development sits on a 0.2 hectare site bounded by Full Street to the west and the River Derwent to the east. The site was previously occupied by a 1960s police station, which was demolished in 2013.
In 2016, Wilson Bowden completed phase one of the Full Street development, which included the refurbishment of the Riverside Chambers office complex, delivery of 46 new apartments at Number One Cathedral Green and a Premier Inn hotel.
The remaining parcel of land had originally been earmarked for an office development of up to 100,000 sq ft, but it will now be brought forward by Wavensmere Homes for the Cathedral One residential scheme.
Nottingham-based Franklin Ellis Architects has drawn up plans for a red brick apartment building offering 2,000 sq ft of mixed-use space at ground floor level on the site.
James Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “This challenging brownfield site occupies one of the best locations within Derby city centre and benefits from rich views of the Cathedral Quarter and the River Derwent. It has been vacant for 10 years and the opportunity to create an exemplary development, reflective of the prime gateway location is exciting.
“The plans we have submitted for Cathedral One would help towards Derby City Council’s target to provide a minimum of 11,000 new homes throughout the city over the coming decade. By appropriately densifying this derelict brownfield site within such a prized and popular city location, we will create highly energy-efficient homes for well over 250 people who will then spend their time and disposable income locally. We look forward to continuing to work with Derby City Council’s officers, councillors, and wider stakeholders, as this planning application is considered.”
Matthew Branton, managing director of Franklin Ellis Architects, added: “Whilst designing Cathedral One, our team at Franklin Ellis were conscious of the need for this proposed development to carefully close the wider urban block and positively front Full Street, Cathedral Green and the waterside, improving the safety, attractiveness, and animation of the adjacent public areas.
“We have taken a context led approach to a layered facade design, incorporating quality detailing and a refined material palette whilst paying homage to the surrounding architecture and heritage assets, ensuring the Cathedral is always the star of the show. We have spent many months refining the design and generating these comprehensive plans, which reflect feedback from the recent public consultation, together with the council’s design and heritage review panels – creating Derby’s most sought-after apartment development.”
