Plans for former police station given go-ahead

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the former station was in a "poor state" of repair

Councillors have given the go-ahead to plans to turn a former police station in Derby into more than 100 apartments.

Derby City Council's planning committee approved proposals from DCG Investments Ltd to convert the former police station in Cotton Lane into 102 flats on 2 October.

Derbyshire Police decided to close the station in 2017 after concluding the building was no longer fit for purpose, with the force moving out of the site in 2022, when the police station in Ascot Drive opened, documents said.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the site was in a "poor state" of repair with boarded up and smashed windows.

According to planning documents the proposed development would comprise of 55 one-bed and 47 two-bed flats.

Tim Cropper, an agent speaking on behalf of the developer, told the committee the site was "regularly" subjected to anti-social behaviour.

He added the proposed development would make a "significant and positive contribution" to the city's housing requirements.

An objector to the scheme, who said he was speaking on behalf of a number of Cotton Lane residents, told the committee the proposed development would make parking in the area "unmanageable".

"We are not against development, but the current proposal for 100 plus flats is simply the wrong fit for our community," he added.

The committee was told by a planning officer there were 51 on-site car parking spaces in the proposed development, and 120 cycle spaces were also included in the plans.

The proposals will be approved following a Section 106 agreement between the council and the applicant, in which developers contribute to the cost of services and facilities to mitigate the impact of new homes.

Additional reporting by Nigel Slater, Local Democracy Reporting Service