The Condor Derby, UK
The Condor, a 259-apartment Build to Rent (BTR) scheme for Grainger, along with the adjacent new public square (Phase 1) of the Becketwell Masterplan being delivered by St James Securities, is now complete.
This is the first BTR scheme to open in Derby and as such viability was extremely challenging, as Operator and Funder Grainger required a high specification. We worked with the design team, client, and contractor to find every possible value engineering opportunity that would not detract from the overall quality of the scheme. This was incorporated into the planning scheme to ensure what was approved was deliverable. The fund managers noted that it was £10/ft2 less expensive than any other BTR scheme they were monitoring.
The building used a Light Gauge Steel Frame (LGSF) for speed of erection. The walls were assembled with the external sheathing boards pre-fixed to allow rapid weatherproofing and acceleration of the internal trades. All of the bathrooms were fabricated offsite as pods and craned into position ahead of each new composite floor being constructed.
Becketwell Masterplan is a circa £200m comprehensive regeneration strategy for an area of Derby City Centre which had become underused and unloved as retail and employment had drifted towards the new shopping centre and Pride Park.
Within the masterplan, it was essential that each site could be developed independently and that uses could be allocated flexibly to take advantage of opportunities as they arose.
Phase 2 of the masterplan, Vaillant Live, is now complete and introduces a new venue in Derby for events, live performances, and entertainment.
