'Eyesore' Derby care home demolition plans move forward

An image of a public notice display at the site of Bramblebrook House
-Credit:Derby City Council


A plan to demolish a former care home in Derby to make way for a big redevelopment project has moved forward. Derby City Council’s planning officers have raised “no objection” to the authority’s plans to demolish Bramblebrook House on Rough Heanor Road in Mickleover.

The building has stood empty for around seven years since it closed in 2017 with windows and doors secured with timber boards. Pictures show the area currently fenced off and a public notice on display in the vicinity informing residents and passers-by of possible demolition work taking place.

Bramblebrook House consists of three buildings, one sewage pumping station, areas of hard standing used for car parks and pathways and grassed areas. The new vision for the land is currently being “explored” by council bosses, says a planning report. But more details are set to be announced in due course.

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An application was submitted by the council itself at the end of 2024 calling for the site to be bulldozed. The council has said the possibility of keeping the building standing and exploring a new use for it is “unviable”.

Officers have said demolition can go ahead despite two objections being received. The objections were related to timings of the public notices and traffic concerns with building work also taking place at the nearby St Clare’s School.

The application form by Derby City Council states: “The site is scheduled for redevelopment. A full planning application will be submitted once details are finalised.”

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Before demolition works start the council needs to “obtain a licence from Natural England to remove bats from the site” and that no building demolition shall take place between March 1 and August 31 due to what appears to be a wildlife issue.

Councillor Lucy Care said she was satisfied Derby City Council had taken the right steps to ensure demolition would take place “carefully” and the site would be left in good order once demolition complete.

She said: “The site has been derelict for sometime and is a bit of an eyesore. The area looks neglected which is the case when you have a boarded-up building. The building has been deemed not suitable for reuse but it has been used as a site for housing before.”

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