An £80m housing scheme in the city’s Fruit Market area is being recommended for approval by council planners.
The proposed development on derelict land between Humber Street and Castle Street includes 109 one, two and three-bedroom homes arranged around a number of courtyards
Both apartments and town houses are included in the plans along with five new commercial units.
Earmarked to be built on either side of Blanket Row, the scheme is seen as key feature in the wider on-going facelift of the Fruit Market district. It is being spearheaded by Wykeland Beal, a joint venture company set up by regeneration firm Wykeland Group and residential developers Beal Homes.
The recommendation to approve a planning application for the scheme will be discussed by the city council’s planning committee next month.
A report for the committee says: “The proposed development would regenerate a key development site within the city centre and enhance the character and appearance of the Old Town Conservation Area.”
Speaking earlier this year, Beal Homes’ chairman and managing director David Beal, said: “The Fruit Market is a truly unique part of the city. It complements the city centre with a character and diversity all of its own.
“This is about much more than physical development. Our vision is about both place and lifestyle. The residential development will create an opportunity for people to live in an area alive with culture and creativity. We have received more than 200 enquiries about residential opportunities in the Fruit Market, even though we have yet to carry out any marketing activity. That demonstrates the appeal of the area as a place to live.”
The scheme includes plans to revive two historic street names – Scott’s Square and Horner’s Square – as part of the development. There are also proposals to screen some of the site from Castle Street using a facade covered in specially-designed colour-changing panels triggered by natural light.
If given the go-ahead by councillors, construction work on the site is expected to start before the end of the year with all the new homes due to be completed by 2019.
