Fresh plans have been put forward to breathe new life into a historic former Derby pub which was once a popular haunt for the city’s railway workers.
Derby-based Universal Real Estate has applied to Derby City Council to convert the old Portland Hotel, in London Road, Wilmorton, into a residential care home.
According to planning documents submitted by JSA Architects, on behalf of Universal, the project would see 27 rooms with private bathrooms, a communal lounge and care and support services created over all three floors of the building.
The Portland Hotel is a building steeped in history. Constructed using Queen Anne-style bricks, it was built between 1878 and 1884 as part of a mix of commercial and residential properties that were constructed to serve the city’s railway industry.
But a couple of years ago, the pub closed and for a short time was partly occupied by a business called Enzo Ceramica. The building is now currently empty.
The care home plans come after a previous application by Universal to turn the property into 28 studio apartments was rejected by the city council earlier this year following objections from councillors and neighbours who had concerns over the number of flats and the lack of parking.
In the documents for the latest application, JSA Architects said: “The existing building has been empty for over a year, the ground floor windows have been boarded to reduce vandalism and break-ins.
“The building requires some maintenance and repair work - this is exacerbated the longer it left vacant.
“The site provides a unique opportunity to develop an attractive, locally significant existing building requiring renovation and give it a new lease of life.
“It offers economic, social and environmental benefits to the local area, proposing the re-use of an existing building on a well-connected, vacant site.
“The proposed facility is located beside a residential area and aims to provide residential accommodation for elderly occupants requiring additional care and support. An asset that can assist in the expected rise in population of older people in the city.”
