Council homes rising over former car park

26 August 2025

Nigel SlaterLocal Democracy Reporting Service

News image — The council had said the car park was under used and new homes were needed

LDRS Building site showing three storey brick structure surrounded by scaffolding — The council had said the car park was under used and new homes were needed

Work to build a dozen new council homes on a former Derby city centre car park is "progressing well".

The council-owned car park on Drewry Lane closed last year after the authority said it was underused and new housing was a more pressing need.

Building work on the 12 new properties is due to be complete early next year.

The council said the works were part of a wider programme for building almost 60 similar homes across the city.

Derby Homes/Derby City Council Artist's impression of the completed homes, which feature a rounded brick clad building next to a road junction — There are about 8,000 people on the council's waiting list for housing

Once built, Derby Homes, the city council's social housing company, will manage them, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A spokesperson for the city council said: "Work is progressing well on the new affordable homes on the site of the former Drewry Lane car park, which will provide six two-bedroom houses and six one-bedroom apartments.

"This work is one of four schemes we are delivering with Mercer Building Solutions.

"The first site is now complete, and tenants moved in. Two more sites are due to complete in late 2025, with Drewry Lane rounding off the programme in spring 2026."

Data published earlier this year showed about 8,000 people were on the waiting list for a council house in the city.

The Drewry Lane development is close to the Friar Gate Goods Yard site, where almost 300 homes are being built by a private developer.

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