Work on the first phase of the £100 million redevelopment of the Derby’s Castleward area is now underway.
Regeneration specialist Compendium Living has begun initial work on the site, which will see 30 acres of land between Derby Midland Station and Westfield shopping centre redeveloped into sustainable homes and businesses.
Neil Walker, of Compendium Living, comments: “This is a big moment for Derby and the Castleward regeneration scheme, which is set to revitalise this underused area of the city.
“Initial work on site will include a full archaeological survey and the demolition of an unoccupied building on Traffic Street, major construction work is due to start in January 2013.
“We are delighted to have begun work on the project’s first phase and 2013 will see the transformation of what is currently brownfield land begin to take shape, with a number of commercial units expected to be available later in the year.”
Phase one of the redevelopment, covering approximately five acres of land, will include the creation of 163 residential units, approximately 16,500sqft of commercial space, a boulevard and a new urban park.
The first new buildings to be completed onsite will be 12 commercial units, ranging in size from 400sqft to 4,000sqft, which are expected to be available from summer 2013.
Matthew Barnsdale, of Lambert Smith Hampton the agent responsible for marketing the commercial units, comments: “There are two elements to the planned regeneration of Castleward that make this project very exciting.
“Firstly, the transformation of land that is currently used for mixed industrial purposes into a brand new living space and secondly, improving the pedestrian link between Derby Midland Station and the city centre.
“Due to its location on the fringe of the city centre, those who choose to call Castleward home will be able to enjoy city living in an urban environment, while also being a desirable location for creative or artistic businesses.
“The focus is on creating a new neighbourhood centre, so the types of businesses suited to the first available commercial units will be those normally associated with a neighbourhood parade, such as convenience stores, café operators, eateries and other local amenities.
“This is a new opportunity for businesses that didn’t exist previously and they can expect to benefit from both local residents and the footfall from the train station.”
In total, Compendium Living’s plans for Castleward include 800 new homes and 34,500sqft of commercial space, while the existing footpath leading from Derby Midland Station to Westfield will be transformed into a contemporary, tree-lined boulevard.
