Bid to turn four empty shops into apartments

LOW DEMAND FOR COMMERCIAL UNITS IN ‘ONCE-THRIVING RETAIL AREA’ OF TOWN

STAPLEFORD could get an injection of new housing after plans were submitted to transform four vacant shops into 11 apartments.

The former shops, pictured , are in Derby Road. One used to be a butcher’s and another house the Michael Wood Floor Store, which closed eight years ago. A planning application by Michael Wilson said that the developer was not able to rent the units to businesses due to “low demand” in what was described as a “commercially unsustainable location”.

The buildings – numbers 242, 244, 248, 250, 252, & 254 – date from between 1900 to 1934.

A design and access statement submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council said: “The properties sit within the settlement of Stapleford in a mixed commercial and residential area popular for persons seeking low-cost accommodation within a sustainable location.

“The proposed conversion of the buildings into dwelling houses will provide additional properties to the local housing market and bringing redundant buildings back to use. “The proposed conversion will create either a sales opportunity or rental facility for the applicant which will produce a reasonable return on his investment, as opposed to retaining redundant commercial space with little to no rental demand.”

The planning application is still pending consideration. Councillor Dave Pearson, deputy leader of Stapleford Town Council, said: “They have been derelict for a long time and it is a good idea but I suspect the difficulty is it is close to the HS2 route from what I suspect. It is right at the far end of Stapleford so it has been difficult to rent them out. At least one of the shops has been converted into a house. It would be nice if something got done, though.” Helen Blanshard, who runs Simply First, in Derby Road, which sells school uniform and work clothes, said: “If it is going to make it look better than it is now, then go for it! Those shops have been vacant for over seven years. At one point it was a thriving retail area and we had butcher’s, shoe shops and a post office but they have all left or they have retired.”

They have been derelict for a long time... I suspect the difficulty is it is close to the HS2 route Dave Pearson