Flats bid for office site

Developer seeks to convert Victorian building to homes

PROPOSA LS have been tabled for a multi-millionpound project featuring new flats and housing at Downfield House.

The property was converted 10 years ago into offices and had been used by Dundee City Council.

But it has been snapped up by Aberkell Developments, from Kellas on the outskirts of the city, for a fee believed to be almost £500,000.

Dundee architect Jon Frullani is working on the project to convert the late 19th Century building.

He said: “We are really excited about it and it’s another great project for us to be involved in.

“I always think it is nice to re-use an existing building rather than demolish.

“The plans are to build nine flats inside the existing building, plus six new build flats at the side and two new build houses beside the old building.

“We are providing quite a flexible campus with some large flats which may suit people with families and there are two bedroom flats which could maybe suit young professionals or even a retired couple.”

He added: “Our clients Aberkell are currently working on a few similar projects in Dundee, including one in Rankine Road and re-developing an older, traditional building there which I believe may have been a care home.

“Aberkell are very much going into this development wholeheartedly and have the same ethos as us to keep the existing buildings and convert.

“The property at Downfield House, I think, used to be used by the council for their IT centre.

“Once all the permissions are in place it will take maybe a year or so to develop the site.

“So it could probably be finished in the spring, or summer of 2021, fingers crossed.”

Mr Frullani pointed out the project involves using a lot of local labour.

He said: “There will be local tradesmen and architect and engineers.”

Downfield House could undergo a transformation into new homes.