The plans include retails spaces on the ground floor
Hull’s former Debenhams building which spans from Prospect Street to Ferensway could soon be brought back to life as a major accommodation block if plans are approved by Hull City Council. The mammoth 180,000 sq. ft. site has been vacant since May 2021, with much of the Debenhams signage still on display.
Earlier this year, property developer DBG Group announced they had “ambitious plans” for the city centre building. They added they were “excited to bring it back to life.”
A planning application has since been submitted to Hull City Council for the vacant retail site to be transformed into 178 apartments. 175 of the units would be one-bedroom apartments whilst 3 would have two-bedrooms.
The application states that apartments would be spread across all five storeys on the building. Some retail space is to be kept under the proposals, with retail units planned for the ground floor street fronts along Ferensway and Brock Street.
DBG Group are also behind the regeneration of Shirethorn House, located next to the former Debenhams on Prospect Street. The building, which has now been renamed ‘City Point,’ has been converted into 76 apartments.
A letter of objection has been submitted to the council on behalf of the Kingston Square Association. The letter claims: “Although the Debenhams store is not in Kingston Square, it is a short distance from it and many of us are concerned about a number of aspects of the plans and the impact this development could have on the Georgian New Town Conservation Area.”
One of the association’s grounds for objection relates to the council’s City Centre Vision (CCV). The council’s vision for the future of the city regularly refers to the Prospect Triangle, an area between Prospect Street, Jameson Street, and Ferensway, which includes the former Debenhams building. The CCV document says the triangle has the potential to “reconnect Ferensway with the Georgian New Town, enhancing routes from St Stephen’s Shopping Centre and Paragon Interchange through to Albion Square.”
The letter submitted on behalf on the association claims: “The council has invested in developing an exciting vision for the city centre which we have contributed to and endorse. We urge the Planning Officers and Committee to develop robust planning policies that will enable that vision to be realised.”
The letter goes on to suggest a study be undertaken to establish a need for “high density residential accommodation.” It claims that if the city centre is “going to become mega developments, we will not achieve the city centre vision.”
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