Wavensmere ready to wrap at £175m Nightingale Quarter

The final touches are being added at Walton House, a £23m building of 103 apartments marking the final phase in the redevelopment of Derbyshire Royal Infirmary.

The five-storey red brick Derby building includes one- and two-bedroom apartments, being furnished by national interior design company Project Furniture Residential.

Derby agent Ashley Adams has been appointed to let the homes, available for occupation from November.

Located on London Road, between the Florence Nightingale Community Hospital and the Nightingale Quarter residents’ gym, the final apartment block has taken 18 months to construct.

In total, the 18.5-acre development incorporates 125 family houses and 800 apartments, together with amenities.

The former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary had lain derelict for a decade prior to Wavensmere Homes’ acquisition and start on site in 2019.

James Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “Nightingale Quarter has been incredibly popular on the rental market ever since we completed the first tranche of homes here in 2021, with a new standard being set for quality city living in Derby.

“Buy-to-lets will always be popular at large developments such as this, but Walton House will be a premium, corporately managed building, with the added advantage that our ownership makes us even more invested in the long-term legacy of the entire site.

“Retaining ownership of at least 10% of each of our major developments is something we’ve been working towards for some time. We want to proudly co-invest with individual investors, many of whom have been loyal to Wavensmere for several years.”

All residents at Nightingale Quarter have access to indoor and outdoor gyms, a co-working facility, and can also make the most of the community garden and running track around the circumference of the 18.5-acre development.

The Pepperpot restaurant is within one of two retained 19th century buildings.

Dickens added: “When we acquired this vacant site only six years ago, we set out to design a landmark scheme that embraced the DE1 location and didn’t turn its back on the city centre.

“We are proud that Nightingale Quarter’s 925 new homes have transformed the city living market, acting as the catalyst for thousands more to be delivered within central Derby.

“By installing new footpaths, cycle routes, roads, co-working space, a gym – and making a restaurant Nightingale Quarter’s new focal point – this redundant hospital site is once again a vibrant community asset. Marking the conclusion of six years of development activity with the launch of Walton House is the ultimate success story.”