BRL were appointed to design proposals for the conversion of the former Debenhams Store to over 160 apartments in the heart of Plymouth’s City Centre Conservation Area.
The redevelopment consists of 167No. apartments over five floors, including a two-storey extension on top of the roof level of the existing building, providing a mix of studio, one and two bed apartments, with some 3 bed units. The existing ground floor space will remain in commercial use.
The three main existing Portland stone elevations of the existing building, on Royal Parade, New George Street and Bedford Way, will be retained with new replica replacement windows. The resident’s entrance to the apartments will be via a centrally located entrance foyer and lift core in Bedford Way.
The large footprint of the existing building necessitated demolition of part of the structure to create two open lightwells onto which some of the apartments will be orientated, with landscaped communal gardens at their base.
An additional communal amenity area has been created on top of the new extended roof level with a roof garden offering panoramic views over the city towards Plymouth Sound.
