Friar Gate Goods Yard: Old railway plot near Derby city centre to be given multi-million makeover

A derelict city centre site just a few minutes’ away from Derbion is set to be transformed that will see the creation of 274 new homes, restaurant and café.

Two landmark Grade II listed buildings will also be converted into commercial space at the old railway site that is set to be given a new lease of life with a £75million cash injection.

Wavensmere Homes’ and Clowes Developments' plans to redevelop Friar Gate Goods Yard were approved by Derby City Council's planning committee on Thursday April 25, 2024.

Derby’s Grade II listed buildings

The restoration of the 19th Century Bonded Warehouse and Engine House is set to deliver a total of 111,275 sq ft.

The space will be used for offices, a health and fitness space, a restaurant and café.

The plans also include extensive new public areas, play spaces and pocket parks to create a vibrant community-focussed area.

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New transport links in Derby

New transport links creating access for cars, cyclists and pedestrians will be created at various points around the site, from Uttoxeter New Road, Great Northern Way, and Friar Gate.

The Mick Mack cycling route will also be extended.

Derby history - Friar Gate Goods Yard and Engine House’s 19th century origins

The Clowes Family have been owners of Friar Gate Goods Yard for over 40 years.

They say previous redevelopment proposals did not progress due to ‘heritage constraints and commercial viability.’

The most recent detailed design proposals which were submitted in August 2023 saw them work with Glancy Nicholls Architects and Pegasus Group who canvassed views from over 200 local public consultation responses.

The site sits just outside the Friar Gate Conservation Area, which features notable Georgian townhouses with high-quality brickwork and fine architectural detailing.

The Friar Gate Goods Yard was intended as the main goods depot for the Great Northern Railway line, to handle coal, livestock, timber, and metals.

Designed in 1870, and entering operation in 1878, the Bonded Warehouse building contained extensive warehouse space and offices. It was used as a store for the American Army in WWII to house ammunition and other supplies.

The Engine House was also built for the Railway by Kirk & Randall of Sleaford. It is Italianate in style and built from Welsh slate roofs.

The Engine House supplied power to the hydraulic lifts and capstans at the Bonded Warehouse.

The site first became derelict in 1967, and over time, 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.

​James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “The context of the eco-focused homes and several acres of new Public Open Space will be a much-needed catalyst for further urban regeneration.

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“The fine attention to detail and bold investment we are set to inject in this £75m city centre landmark will see it become a nationally important trophy asset in Derby’s ongoing renaissance.”

Adam McPartland, Director of Glancy Nicholls Architects, said: “By having a mix of commercial uses within the two buildings, and opening the inaccessible site up to create a series of new linear parks, hundreds of people could appreciate these heritage assets on a daily basis.

“In addition to the proposals for the listed buildings, the designs for the 227 two- and three-bedroom townhouses are bespoke.

“Curved and terraced street scenes celebrate the beauty and vista of the Bonded Warehouse, while incorporating a range of energy saving technologies and strategies.

“A four-storey apartment building is also proposed, containing 49 apartments to reinstate the lost streetscape of the Stafford Street frontage.

“The highest EPC rating of A is being targeted for the new homes, with all plots designed to be future-proofed ahead of the 2025 Future Homes Standard.”