Plans to transform office block into apartments unveiled

Plans are underway to create 14 new homes on a street in Derby city centre.

A planning application has been submitted to Derby City Council, proposing the conversion of a large office block on Curzon Street into residential accommodation.

This building is situated next to the former Lord Nelson pub, now a burger restaurant, near the city’s sole gay pub and directly adjacent to the vacant Bar Aura club, which has been unoccupied for several years.

Most recently, the building served as the offices of Connexions, a company that offers career guidance to young people.

According to planning documents, Una Properties, the building’s owner, has faced difficulty in renting out the office space since the pandemic.

A planning statement says: “The application seeks to change the use of an existing commercial office space into residential accommodation. This decision was aided by the fact the applicant is struggling to find companies to take on the lease of the building.

“After analysing the site’s context, it is clear the building is perfectly situated for residential use, as it benefits from easy access to a multitude of amenities, employment prospects and transport links. The site is within a minute’s walk of the city centre, where an abundance of conveniences can be found, including cafes, restaurants, shops, markets, theatres and cinema complexes.

“The idea is to attract young working professionals, operating within the city or further afield. Therefore, we established that residential use would be suitable for the site.”