Commercial property investment company, Manston Investments Ltd, has obtained planning and listed building consent to repurpose its property at 8-9 Iron Gate in the heart of Derby city centre.
The property, still known to many in Derby as ‘the former Bennetts Department store’, became vacant just before the first Covid lockdown when the former business went into administration.
The building amounts to over 36,000 sq ft over four floors, together with an extensive basement. It has been adapted many times since it first became a department store in the late 19th century to provide the labyrinth of space people remember from the old ‘Bennetts’ days.
With the help of a local team comprising architects JSA Consulting, cost consultants Armsons Barlow, and Heritage Planners Urban Fabric, the approved scheme will provide a range of accommodation much better suited to town centre uses post Covid.
Partial demolition at the rear of number 8 will allow for secondary access and a goods receiving area – this will also facilitate better daylighting to the upper floors. Internally, the former large single occupier space will be divided to cater for a variety of independent uses.
The approved plans show two smaller independent ground floor units fronting Iron Gate and suited to retail, food and beverage or other leisure uses. There will be an independent suite of offices to the rear, and a first floor with potential for open plan or serviced office use. The upper floors show eight residential units.
Allowing for the proposed demolition, the building will offer a total area in its proposed format of approximately 30,000 sq ft.
Commenting on the proposed scheme, Tom Boardman-Weston, director of Manston Investments said: “This has been a lengthy process due to the historic single use nature of the building and also the Grade 2 Listed status of number 9 Iron Gate.
“Repurposing the floorspace to attract a range of current day uses more readily has been a complicated task, but we are delighted that a way forward is now clearer.”
John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, added: “We are delighted to see that Derby City Council has granted planning permission and look forward to working with Manston Investments to shape a new chapter for a wonderful building that has played an important role, both in Derby’s heritage and in its future.”
Manston Investments intends to bring the property to the market early in the New Year and has instructed joint agents Rigby & Co. and OMEETO in this regard.
