Derby City Council has revealed plans to build new affordable homes on an under-used city centre car park.
Under the proposals, the Drewry Lane Car Park would become home to 17 properties which would be owned by Derby City Council, and available to rent through Derby Homefinder. A design for six townhouses and eleven apartments has been prepared and will shortly be submitted for planning approval.
Due to several nearby car parks with better access to the city centre, Drewry Lane car park has the lowest usage of any of the Council’s car parks. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, only a handful of vehicles were using its 48 spaces each day.
Councillor Roy Webb, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Housing, said: “Creating new Council homes is a key priority for us, and this development would be a step towards achieving our goal to build or acquire around 100 new homes per year over the next 30 years.
“By repurposing land which is being under-utilised, we can not only improve areas requiring attention within the city centre but also provide affordable and energy efficient homes for residents who need them.”
The new homes aim to meet the Future Homes Standard, with high levels of insulation, solar panels and electric heating or air source heat pumps. This would enable residents to not only access affordable properties in the city centre but also save money on their energy bills from day one. The development will be funded by the Council’s Housing Revenue Account.
If the plans are approved and planning permission is granted, work on the site could start in late 2023, with the new homes completed in early 2025.
