BSP Consulting

When complete, Castleward will feature 800 new homes; 35,000 sq. ft. of commercial retail space; a primary school and community spaces on the 30-acre site close to the heart of Derby. The scheme includes a new boulevard which will link the railway station and city centre, lined with shops, cafés and offices.

The regeneration is a key element of the Derby Cityscape Masterplan, aiming to provide a highly sustainable, mixed-use urban village on what was an underused brownfield site on the edge of the city centre.

The Castleward redevelopment is significantly enhancing an important gateway to the city, consequently providing wider benefits to residents and visitors.

Phase 1, commenced in Spring 2013 and provided 164 homes for sale, rent and shared ownership, is now complete. There are also 12 new units of retail/commercial and small business floor-space, and a new public square with play area. There is also an attractive new boulevard linking the railway station to Intu shopping Centre alongside enhancements to the public realm.

The previous site use left the site with various ground conditions and underground obstruction (foundation of previous buildings and a former canal). A plot specific foundation solution was produced as a ‘one solution fits all’ was un-economical.

The provision of these detailed designs and drawings saved the contractor both time and money as there were no surprises in the ground.

Working closely with the internal drainage board, DCC drainage team, the EA and the contractor, BSP produced a solution which included swales, rain gardens, porous paving and traditional positive drainage discharge.

Phase 2 is now underway, consisting of 54 more new homes, which will be a mixture of low-rise apartments, duplex-style properties and houses.

The Castleward project will be carried out in a number of phases, over 15-20 years.  Over this period, the project will provide about 800 new homes, 35,000 square feet of commercial retail space.

Other future features of the regeneration include:

• A new primary school
• A new pedestrian link to Bass’s Recreation Ground

In 2014 it became the country’s second development project to receive a BREEAM accreditation for its overall environmental sustainability ‘BREEAM Communities’.

Castleward won the ‘Regeneration Award’ at the 2014 East Midlands fbe Awards.

Compendium Living and Derby City Council aim to create a distinctive place combining high quality homes with the benefits of city-centre living.  In addition, they want the area to be sustainable, and have a feeling of community. Much of the housing will be low-level (two- and three-storey family homes) with a number of apartments and maisonettes. The tenure mix will be approximately 75% for private sale and 25% affordable homes (social rented and/or shared ownership).

BSP has been a member of the team since the pre-planning stage of the schedule.

For further information about the scheme take a look here:

https://www.compendiumliving.co.uk/projects/castleward-derby/