Work starts on £75m regeneration scheme
Wavensmere Homes has started work on site to redevelop Friar Gate Goods Yard in Derby city centre.
The £75m mixed-use project will redevelop two landmark Grade II listed buildings into over 110,000 sq ft of commercial space, alongside 276 homes.
The site first became derelict in 1967, and overtime became overgrown and fell into a poor state of repair. An arson attack took place at the Goods Yard in 2020, which exposed the whole inner iron structure of the two historic buildings.
Site enabling works across the 11.5-acre site are underway, with the groundworks commencing in November.
The first phase will include a new spine road through the site and remediation works to the two listed buildings. At the same time, construction of the first residential phase will take place. This includes 63 terraced houses, which will be available for occupation before the end of 2026.
The full redevelopment, restoration and construction programme is anticipated to complete by the end of 2028.
The restoration of the 19th Century Bonded Warehouse and Engine House will deliver a total of 111,275 sq ft of flexible offices, health and fitness space, a restaurant/café, together with a regional sales centre for Birmingham-headquartered Wavensmere Homes.
Extensive new areas of open space, including play areas and pocket parks will also be created, in addition to the retention of the TPO tree buffer, to enhance the biodiversity of the site.
The elevated area adjacent to Friar Gate Bridge will become a new multi-purpose public realm and community space, with retention of some of the original railway arch facades. New vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access will be created at various points around the site, from Uttoxeter New Road, Great Northern Way, and Friar Gate, with the Mick Mack cycling route also to be extended.
Catherine Atkinson, MP for Derby North, said: “”After over 50 years of sitting vacant, it was brilliant to visit Friar Gate Goods Yard and see the work underway to bring this local landmark back to life. This redevelopment will restore a piece of Derby’s history while creating jobs and giving a major boost to the local economy, now and in the future.”
Cllr Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, said: “I am thrilled that Wavensmere Homes has made a start on site so soon after receiving planning approval. The two fine terracotta listed buildings are such important historical assets for our city and we can now be assured of their future. I cannot wait to see the Bonded Warehouse preserved and brought back into use as the centrepiece for this £75m mixed-use development.”
Octopus Real Estate has provided a £24m loan to Wavensmere Homes to enable the comprehensive four-year programme of work to start without delay. Glancy Nicholls Architects and Pegasus Group worked collaboratively to produce the detailed plans for Friar Gate Goods Yard, which received planning approval earlier this year.
James Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “The fine attention to detail and investment we will inject into the reanimation of Friar Gate Goods Yard will see it become a nationally important trophy asset in Derby’s ongoing renaissance.
“We constructed 125 family houses just across the city centre at Nightingale Quarter, but there was such intense demand, we could have sold them four times over. The 227 houses at Friar Gate Goods Yard will provide much-needed choice in the market and be the most energy-efficient in the city, so there is already significant pent-up demand.
“The first opportunity to reserve a home here will be in 2025, but we are collecting people’s details on our website. We’re very pleased to see the amount of early interest from people who’ve bought from us previously, including residents living at Nightingale Quarter.”
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said: “I am delighted that work has commenced at Friar Gate Goods Yard. This vast historic landmark has lain derelict in the centre of Derby for over 50 years. Wavensmere’s redevelopment plans will have a transformational impact on the city’s landscape and image, while also providing a significant boost to the jobs market and local economy.”
