Nightingale Quarter scheme recognised for restoration work

Wavensmere Homes has been recognised for its painstaking restoration of a pair of historic buildings at its £175 million Nightingale Quarter scheme.

The scheme was a double winner in the conservation category of the Derby Civic Society’s A Brighter City of Derby Awards.

The awards were presented in recognition of Wavensmere’s restoration of two ‘pepperpot’ buildings in London Road – abandoned relics from the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, which opened in 1894 and closed 15 years ago.

After laying derelict for a decade, Wavensmere purchased the vacant 18.5-acre site in 2019.

While the vast majority of the Florence Nightingale-designed Victorian hospital was bulldozed, the firm pledged to save and restore the pepperpots, despite one of the buildings being previously consented for demolition.

Pepperpot South opened in 2021 as the marketing suite for the 925 houses and apartments at Nightingale Quarter.

With 95% of the homes now sold, the building is being re-purposed as a gym for residents’ use.

The second (North) Pepperpot opened in February as The Fulton Partnership’s sixth hospitality venue in the Midlands.

Styled by the interior designer for Gleneagles hotel, The Pepperpot has proven a big success since opening.

James Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “We are thrilled that Derby Civic Society has recognised the quality of our restoration work, concluding that these historic buildings now serve as assets to the community living at Nightingale Quarter and the city of Derby as a whole.”

Ashley Waterhouse, chairman of Derby Civic Society, said: “What has been achieved by Wavensmere Homes and The Fulton Partnership at Nightingale Quarter is remarkable.

“Being the former DRI, this is a very emotive site for so many local people.

“With the surviving hospital buildings not nationally listed by Historic England, their fate was in the hands of the developers.

“The end result has surpassed all our expectations. The quality of the restoration works across both pepperpot buildings is immaculate inside and out, creating a highly impressive approach to the city centre from London Road.”