More affordable homes proposed for Derby

Published: 31 March 2023

Plans for new affordable homes at the site of the former Warwick House care home and The Knoll, Village Street will go to Cabinet in April.

This comes after plans to build more affordable homes on the little-used Drewry Lane car park were approved at March’s Cabinet meeting.

Providing new council homes is a key priority for the Council to address the large numbers waiting for suitable properties. Over 6,000 applicants were actively looking for affordable homes through Derby Homefinder as of December 2022, with particularly high demand for 2-bed properties. 

A lack of suitable and available land is one of the reasons for the shortage, therefore the Council is continually reviewing its underutilised assets to assess their potential for redevelopment. 

Warwick House care home, at Bonsall Avenue/Repton Avenue, was closed in 2021, and the now-demolished site has been identified as one for redevelopment. The proposals would deliver 22 new affordable homes on the site; a combination of one-, two- and 4-bedroom houses, all owned by the Council and managed by Derby Homes. 

The Knoll is currently a brownfield site on the corner of Stenson Road and Village Street, but the proposed redevelopment would see 18 properties, a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom houses, built on the site. The area is currently overgrown and surrounded by mature trees, and ecology surveys are taking place to avoid and mitigate any impact on wildlife. 

All the proposed new homes would be built with accessibility and adaptability in mind, with sufficient space to be adapted for residents as and when required. 

They are also expected to meet the Future Homes Standard by reducing day-to-day carbon emissions by 75-80% and will include electric vehicle charging points as standard, contributing to Derby City Council’s target to be net zero by 2035.

A spokesperson for Derby City Council said

Derby needs new council homes. There are over 6,000 applicants actively looking for an affordable home through Derby Homefinder and we are working hard to increase the supply in the city to ensure that everyone has access to a suitable home.

By identifying underutilised Council assets for redevelopment, we can overcome the shortage of suitable land.

These developments are another example of us working to achieve our goal to build or acquire around 100 new homes per year over the next 30 years.

Both proposals will go to Cabinet in April for approval, subject to successful planning applications. Should consent be issued, work is expected to begin on site in Autumn 2023 with residents moving in by Summer 2025.

Housing