Plans revealed for major mixed-use scheme in Derby city centre

Plans have been submitted to transform a dilapidated Victorian mill site in Derby into a mixed-use scheme that will include apartments, houses and a three-storey office block.

The former Osmaston Works building in Osmaston Road currently hosts a number of business tenants – including adult swingers’ club The Attic.

Now, plans have been submitted by Nottingham-based Swish Architecture on behalf of mill owner ALB Group to undertake a multimillion-pound redevelopment of the site.

The mill building, built in the late 19th century, will be retained and converted into 64 one- and two-bedroom apartments, complete with a ground floor gym area.

Meanwhile, the surrounding industrial units will be demolished to make way for two further apartment blocks, six small family homes, an office block and associated parking and cycle stores.

Dino Labbate, director of Swish Architecture, said: “We’re delighted to be working on this project, having done a lot of work with ALB Group up and down the country.

“It’s a good site which is currently, in parts, in a massive state of disrepair. It has good frontage and has great transportation links, though it also has a lot of unsightly industrial land.

“This development will truly reinvigorate the area and provide footfall to local businesses – and also give it a much-needed tidy-up.”

Labbate said that the team hoped to receive planning approval later this year in order to begin construction work in 2024.

Arran Bailey, managing director of Nottingham-based ALB Group, said: “There are so many sites like this around the UK which represent the nation’s once booming manufacturing might but which have sadly been allowed to fall into disrepair.

“For largely commercial reasons, developers are reluctant to take on anything like this, where preservation is as important as construction. But we are determined to breathe new life into these down-trodden areas.

“These buildings deserve to be retained due to their character and history, and we are confident that residents and businesses in the area surrounding Osmaston Mill will benefit hugely from our proposal.”

ALB Group bought the mill site in 2021 for an undisclosed sum.