Plans submitted by Wavensmere Homes and Clowes Developments for the redevelopment of the city’s historic Friar Gate Goods Yard have been recommended for approval by Derby City Council’s planning officials. The detailed design proposals – submitted in August 2023 – set out the vision for the reanimation of two landmark Grade II listed buildings into over 110,000 sq ft of commercial space, with 276 new homes also planned for the 11.5-acre (4.96Ha) site. A painstaking restoration of the 19^th Century Bonded Warehouse and Engine House is set to deliver a total of 111,275 sq ft of flexible offices, health and fitness space, a restaurant/café, together with a regional sales centre for Birmingham-headquartered Wavensmere Homes. The plans also include extensive new areas of Public Open Space, including play spaces and pocket parks. A new multi-purpose public realm and community space is also proposed for the elevated area adjacent to Friar Gate Bridge, with retention of some of the original railway arch facades. New vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access would be created at various points around the site, from Uttoxeter New Road, Great Northern Way, and Friar Gate, with the Mick Mack cycling route also extended. Friar Gate Goods Yard has been in the ownership of the Clowes family for over 40 years, with a number of options for redevelopment proposed but not progressed, due to heritage constraints and commercial viability. Wavensmere Homes and Clowes developments worked with Glancy Nicholls Architects and Pegasus Group to incorporate the views from over 200 local public consultation responses into the comprehensive plans for the redevelopment of the derelict site. ​James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “We are very pleased that this significant planning application will be considered by Derby City Council’s Planning Committee on the evening of Thursday 25^th April. “Alongside the drawings, our 3D model of the entirety of the Grade II listed Bonded Warehouse and Engine House enables us to clearly present how the buildings will be reanimated. 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. “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.” If the plans receive the green light at Committee on 25^th April, Wavensmere Homes anticipates receiving formal planning approval in time to commence work on site this summer. Strong interest has been received from prospective operators of the health and fitness centre, office space, and the restaurant/café – all of which will be within the Bonded Warehouse. The housebuilder also has a database of over 500 prospective purchasers wishing to buy one of the townhouses. Adam McPartland, Director of Glancy Nicholls Architects, said: “The Friar Gate Goods Yard redevelopment plans illustrate the millions of pounds that need to be invested into saving these distressed 150-year-old listed buildings. “Glancy Nicholls Architects has proudly brought its expertise in restoration and retrofit design to sustainably restore two of Derby city centre’s most notable historic structures, providing a vibrant new chapter of their story. “From the outset, the overarching brief from Wavensmere Homes was for a huge emphasis to be placed on exemplary placemaking. 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.” 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.

Healthcare provider Mediq has centred its UK operations at a major new base in Castle Donington.

The firm – which operates across 14 European countries – has created its largest site to date as it builds its presence in the UK market.

The 280,000 sq ft facility at East Midlands Distribution Centre will be used for medical healthcare distribution supply.

The new facility was built to a cost of £30 million, which includes a £6 million fit-out.

It means the Mediq UK fleet will operate from the prime location between East Midlands Airport, the M1 and the A50 – one of the most strategically important logistics locations in the Midlands.

The investment forms part of Netherlands-headquartered Mediq’s vision of combining efficiency and innovation to make a lasting impact on the future of the healthcare landscape in the UK.

Mediq UK officially launched in September following the unification by acquisition of H&R Healthcare, Bunzl Healthcare, and 365 Healthcare. The group employs 415 people in the UK and 3,000 across its global group.

Mediq UK currently operates from several sites around the country, including at Coalville, but will centre UK operations on Castle Donington over coming months. Smaller distribution sites will remain as regional hubs.

Richard Cornwell, Managing Director, Mediq UK, said: “Castle Donington is another milestone in the growth of our UK business and Mediq’s overarching strategy of developing exceptional healthcare solutions for our customers.

“By investing in our largest site yet – and transforming our processes – we are supporting suppliers and reducing procurement costs for customers including NHS England and a host of other public and private healthcare providers.

“We are committed to upgrading warehouse and traffic management systems and optimising our operations for swift and accurate deliveries.

“This is a further demonstration of our commitment to reducing inequalities in health outcomes and improving consistency in both the primary and secondary care markets.”

The Castle Donington site, which has 30 loading bays and parking for 44 HGVs, was acquired and developed with the support of Derbyshire-based Clowes Developments.

It has had material handling equipment (MHE) and racking supplied and installed by Milton Keynes-based Jungheinrich.

Plans have been submitted for new sports hubs at Sutton Lawn and Kingsway Park. The sports hubs are being funded by their £62.6m Towns Deal, which is financing 16 major transformational projects across Sutton and Kirkby that will change the face of Ashfield for generations to come. The exciting plans for Sutton Lawn centre around increasing provision for football at the park, and include creating two new 3G football pitches, improvements to the existing grass football pitches, converting the derelict shale pitch to grass pitches, refurbishing and extending the existing changing pavilion, creating additional car parking, and resurfacing the access road to the park. These improvements to Sutton Lawn are being made in conjunction with the Football Foundation and Academy Transformation Trust Further Education. Plans for Kingsway include building a new, modern, energy efficient changing room facility to support football, hockey, and wider sports at the site. Kingsway Park will see drastic changes which also include constructing a new energy efficient bowls pavilion, creating more car parking, installing energy efficient floodlighting, and creating new grass pitches. John Bennett, Executive Director, said: “The huge investment into both parks marks the next phase of the Council’s transformation and modernisation of sports facilities available in Ashfield. “The sports hubs will ensure more residents can enjoy football, hockey, and bowls whether just for fun, fitness, or as the start of a career. One of the Council’s priorities is helping our communities live healthy and happy lives and our long-term investment into sports in Ashfield is proof that we are committed to achieving this aim.” To complement the wider sports provision in Ashfield, the Council recently worked with the Lawn Tennis Association to fund the refurbishment of the tennis courts at Sutton Lawn and Huthwaite Welfare Park.

Residents who feared part of a former golf course could be sold to developers have learned from council chiefs that all the land will be turned into a new nature reserve for the community. The reassurance came at a town hall meeting in Ilkeston where Erewash’s leader Cllr James Dawson met with his cabinet over the future of the town’s disused Pewit municipal course. The executive team officially rejected an option that would have seen between eight and nine acres earmarked for disposal while the rest is transformed into a wildlife haven. The decision on Tuesday (16 April) clears the way for the entirety of the land – some 25 acres – to become a tranquil beauty spot right on the edge of town. More than £500,000 will be invested in creating what will be called Pewit Coronation Meadows Local Nature Reserve. Half of the money for this is coming from government levelling-up investment through the Shared Prosperity Fund. The rest is money paid to the town hall by businesses involved in the redevelopment of the old Stanton ironworks. The under-used golf course at West End Drive closed in 2022. Work on transforming it into a nature reserve is poised to start soon. Natural England and the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust have welcomed the council’s blueprint for the land. The reserve will form an extension of existing green havens including Straw’s Bridge – celebrated for its Swan Lake. One element of the plan could see the course’s former pavilion building become an educational centre and coffee shop.