Spooky Atmosphere at The Forest, Derby, over the Halloween Period

This Halloween season, while others are enjoying trick-or-treating, our team at Forest, Derby, is embarking on a different kind of adventure: a spooky descent into the depths of the former Job Centre's basement! We're not hunting for ghosts, but we are certainly unearthing the future, as we prepare this cavernous space to become a crucial part of our ambitious new development.

We are transforming the expansive, now-vacant old job centre into a vibrant residential complex boasting over 70 modern apartments. But before the plasterboard goes up and the paint dries upstairs, the real groundwork begins deep below.

The basement area at The Forest, Derby, ready for transformation

Clearing the cobwebs and setting the scene!

The images you see is from our recent site setup in the basement. With the main power still off and just the beams of our headlamps and a few strategically placed floodlights piercing the darkness, the scene looks like something right out of a horror movie – perfectly timed for a Halloween post! The low light, the concrete columns, the exposed, rusting pipework overhead, and the sheer emptiness of the space give it an undeniably eerie, abandoned atmosphere.

Our team, geared up in their PPE High-vis bests and hard hats, look like intrepid explorers venturing into a forbidden tomb. We've been busy clearing out decades of debris, redundant fixtures, and general clutter to prepare the floor plate for the incoming trades. This initial clear-out is painstaking work, but it's absolutely essential. We're essentially wiping the slate clean, literally and figuratively, so that the various contractors – plumbers, electricians, etc. – can safely and efficiently begin their work.

The Forest, Derby - Basement

From Gloom to Glamour: The Vision Ahead!

It’s hard to imagine, looking at these dark, gritty photos, that this structure will soon house beautiful, contemporary homes. The basement itself will serve critical functions for the apartment block, likely accommodating essential services, storage, and perhaps even parking. Getting this foundation right is paramount to the project’s success.

The pipes that look so intimidating now will be modernised, integrated, and channelled to service the apartments above. The rough, uneven concrete floor will be prepped, treated, and finished. Where there is currently only gloom, soon there will be the humming of new machinery and the buzz of activity, leading to a completed, sustainable structure.

We’ve fully embraced the Halloween vibe this week, sharing a laugh about how "extra spooky" the site looks. But beneath the temporary eerie feel, there's a serious purpose: the creation of new, much-needed homes in Derby.

We’re excited to move past the ‘dark and clearing’ phase and into the ‘building and brightening’ phase.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to breathe new life into this old building and turn this once-spooky basement into a functional, integral part of the fantastic new Forest, Derby apartments!