Plans to build new affordable and sustainable homes on disused land in the city centre are to be discussed by Cabinet in September.

Providing new council homes is a key priority for the Council to address the large numbers waiting for suitable properties. As of 31 March 2023, 8,300 applicants were actively looking for affordable homes through the Council’s lettings system, Homefinder. 

The proposed homes, which will be funded through the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme, are set to be built to Future Homes Standard as part of action to tackle climate change. They are expected to reduce day-to-day carbon emissions by 75-80%, contributing to Derby City Council’s target to be net zero by 2035. Only a small amount of electricity will be needed to heat the homes, and electrical vehicle charging points are proposed for each parking space. 

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

The current proposal is to build six 2-bedroom houses, two 3-bed houses and four 4-bed houses, all with off-street parking and private rear gardens on a site at Duke Street near the River Derwent. 

Although the exact number and type of homes is subject to planning consent, they would all be owned by the Council, managed by Derby Homes and available to rent through Homefinder.  

Councillor Baggy Shanker, Leader of Derby City Council, said: 

Affordable housing is in high demand across the city and creating new Council homes is a key priority for us.

These homes would be built to Future Homes Standard which is a higher specification than is currently required and incorporates new technologies such as solar panels and air source heat pumps to achieve high energy efficiency ratings. As a responsible Council, we want to lead and do what we can, where we can,  to address climate change and give our tenants the opportunity to live in buildings which won't cost the earth to heat.

If plans are approved and planning permission is granted, work on the site could start in early 2024, with the new homes completed by late 2025.

Cabinet will meet to decide on the proposals on Tuesday 12 September at 2pm. The meeting can be watched live on the Council’s YouTube channel.