Bennetts: Green light for plan to transform former Derby store

Under the plans, the building will house two retail units

Plans to bring Derby's former Bennetts department store back into use after four years have been given the green light.

The Iron Gate store closed in 2019 after the company went out of business.

Bennetts had been in the city since 1734 and was described as the world's first department store.

Now Derby City Council has approved plans for the building to be transformed into a mix of shops, offices and flats.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the ground floor would be split into two retail units, with the first floor used as an upper level for one of the retail units and office space.

The second and third floors would be used for seven apartments, with an eighth apartment created on the third floor.

The Iron Gate building will also house offices under the plan

The department store closed its doors in October 2019, eight months after the company went into administration.

The Bennetts brand was subsequently purchased by a local businessman and relaunched as an online store.

Manston Investments Limited, which owns the building, said its vision was to provide "a range of different uses targeted more towards what is required in today's city centre".

Approving the plans, Derby City Council said the development would contribute positively to the vibrancy, viability and vitality of the city centre and to the economic recovery of the city.

"The introduction of city centre living would also contribute positively to the council's housing land supply and increase footfall within the city centre," it said.

"As such, whilst harm to designated and non-designated heritage assets has been identified, the public benefits associated with the development would outweigh this harm."

The department store closed in 2019