Contractor appointed to £50m residential scheme

A contractor has been appointed to build a new £50 million residential scheme, which will form part of the regeneration of the Castleward area of Derby.

Elevate Property Group has appointed Bode Contracting to build the 258 apartments scheme, called The Silk Yard.

Phase 1 of The Silk Yard will provide 94 apartments on the corner of John Street and Castleward Boulevard, with the second release set to include 164 properties in a five and seven-storey building on the adjacent site.

The scheme complements the wider regeneration of the Castleward area.

Derby City Council is working with regeneration specialist Compendium Living, housing firm Lovell and housing association Riverside, to create Castleward Urban Village, with the aim of delivering more residential space and driving an increase in city living.

Work is well underway on the third phase of that project, with plans in place for the fourth phase.

Meanwhile, at the Silk Yard, buyers and investors will be able to choose from one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as studio-style apartments across the 1.55-acre site that was once an historic manufacturing sawmill.

Steve Dodd, managing director of Elevate Property Group, said: “We have built a very strong partnership with Bode Contracting.

“They have just finished The Priory House Development for us in Birmingham and are currently working on the second phase of our Trent Bridge Quays development in Nottingham.

“The company have always impressed us with the quality of their build and ability to meet deadlines, especially with the well documented supply chain disruption we’ve seen in construction in recent years.

“Bode are also working with us to ensure that sustainable construction techniques are used in what will be one of the highest-profiles schemes Derby has seen since lockdown eased.”

The Silk Yard, which has been designed by architects Corstorphine & Wright, is the first time Elevate Property Group has developed in Derby.

Bode Contracting will start work on the project this month and the development of the three apartment blocks will take two years to complete.

Dan Bodell, managing director of Bode Contracting, said: “The Silk Yard is a very ambitious project and will unlock a vital site that will support Derby’s desire to regenerate this area and attract new people and businesses into the city.”