Housebuilder delivers £65m of Derby apartments in 2024

Wavensmere Homes is reflecting on a year in which it delivered £65 million of new apartments in Derby city centre.

Close to half of the 800 apartments which make up the regeneration specialist’s £175 million Nightingale Quarter scheme, on the site of the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, were completed and handed over to buyers in 2024.

The firm began the redevelopment and restoration of the 18.5-acre site four years ago.

125 two and three-bedroom townhouses were sold off-plan and handed over to purchasers between 2021 and 2023. The majority of the 800 apartments were sold ahead of the build schedule, with residents taking occupation from 2023 onwards, within seven apartment buildings located across the site.

Donna Smith, sales director at Wavensmere Homes, said: “Some people might not have shared our bold vision for Nightingale Quarter back in 2020 when we first broke ground, but now it’s a proud reality.

“This hugely successful development has created a new community of all ages, leaving a £175 million legacy in the process.

“There are growing families, school-aged children, hard-working professionals who work locally, those who regularly commute to London, and retirees living here.”

This year, Wavensmere has completed work on three individual residential buildings at Nightingale Quarter, delivering 368 new homes.

Only six, one-bedroom apartments remain available for sale, priced at either £185,000 or £186,000.

The final 12, two-bedroom apartments are priced from £225,000 to £228,000.

All remaining 18 apartments are newly completed and ready to move into.

Donna said: “We are now at the final furlong of matching these wonderful, energy-efficient homes with purchasers.

“With only 18 one- and two-bedroom apartments left, we are weeks away from selling out.

“That will be an incredible milestone for the whole Wavensmere team and the city of Derby.

“The redevelopment of this iconic former hospital has been the catalyst for city living here.

“Now it’s the last chance to buy on this very special – virtually completed – development.”

As well as the new homes, Nightingale Quarter also has The Pepperpot restaurant, which opened in February.

This summer, Sir Tim Smit of the Eden Project unveiled the site’s community garden, designed and planted by Down to Earth Derby and residents.

Pepperpot South opened as the marketing suite for the 925 houses and apartments in 2022.

With 98% of the homes now sold, the building has been re-purposed as a gym for residents’ use.

On the ground floor of Fox House, which is at the opposite side of the development, an expansive co-working space is also operational, enabling residents to separate work time from home life.

103 apartments located within Nightingale Quarter’s final Walton House building in London Road are currently under construction, with completion set for late 2025.

The five-storey red-brick £20 million building will feature solar PV roof panels, with battery storage, to enable the green energy generated on site to be captured and used to power a proportion of the building’s electricity use.