Work has begun on a £3 million restoration and refurbishment project at the landmark Almshouses on London Road in Derby.
Owned by The Liversage Trust, the Grade II listed buildings, originally built in 1836, have long provided affordable homes for the residents of Derby aged 60 or over. This project will give the Almshouses a new lease of life, carefully restoring and modernising them. The London Road project isn’t just a building site it is a 190 year old story being re-told.
The Trust has secured £1.4 million in funding from Homes England, with the remaining investment directly by The Liversage Trust.
While the Almshouses remain in high demand, the current layouts no longer meet modern living requirements. As part of the refurbishment, the buildings will be reconfigured, reducing the number of homes from 23 to 17 to create larger, more practical, living spaces.
The works will include full internal refurbishment, new layouts, refurbished windows, kitchens, bathrooms, stairs. external restoration and renewal of essential services, and specialist conservation repairs.
The changes to the internal layouts will include larger kitchens; prior to the renovation’s residents used a shared on-site laundrette, the new layouts will make sure every home can have its own washing machine.
In some instances, a second bedroom will be constructed. The new homes will have more accessible staircases, while retaining original features wherever possible. The original staircases will be retained to preserve the history; they will not be removed but will be boxed off.
The importance of the Almshouses is not in question and preservation of the character of the buildings is important. The front elevations will remain unchanged, with any necessary repairs carried out using appropriate conservation methods to maintain their original appearance.
The Architects are Derby based Matthew Montague Architects, who have worked with The Trust for many years and who have worked closely with conservation officers and specialist heritage consultants to ensure the right balance between preservation and modernisation.
Works are being carried out in three phases, with Phase 1 commencing week beginning 23 March 2026.
To enable the refurbishment, residents have moved out and been temporarily rehoused into other Trust properties. All the residents affected by the works will be offered the opportunity to return to newly refurbished homes once the project is complete.
Andy Mellors, Manager at The Liversage Trust, said:
“This is an important project for the Trust and for Derby. The Almshouses have been part of the city’s history for nearly 200 years; however the needs of our residents have changed over time and it is time and our responsibility to ensure they continue to provide safe, comfortable homes for the next 200 years.
This refurbishment allows us to preserve the character while making meaningful improvements for our residents. It has taken a great deal of work to reach this stage, and we are delighted to see the project now underway. This is an exciting new chapter in the history of the Almshouses”.
Following a competitive tender process, Allsopp Construction has been appointed as the main contractor for the project.
The refurbishment represents one of the most significant heritage-led residential schemes in Derby, combining careful conservation with modern living standards to secure the future of a much-loved local landmark.
