Plans for Gorleston care home after being empty for 15 years

The Harbour Quay development, which has been standing empty on Riverside Road since the early 2010s, has been taken over by Norwich-based firm Peter Colby Commercials and is currently on the market for £6m.

The firm's head of property, Jeremy Aldous, said he has been in talks with different care firms to complete the development to their specifications.

Harbour Quay, Riverside Road, Gorleston. (Image: Peter Colby Commercials Ltd) "We certainly do not want to keep this empty for another five years," Mr Aldous said.

"We are talking with different end users to decide whether they will purchase as-is, or whether they would like us to finish the build ready for them to enter."

While Mr Aldous said the development had been built to a "very high quality," he admitted the premises' biggest issue is its twenty parking spaces.

The top of Harbour Quay. (Image: James Weeds) Currently built as a nursing home with space for 60 beds, Mr Aldous accepted the lack of parking could put off potential buyers.

However, the firm also owns the five-plus acres of land by Dock Tavern Lane. Mr Aldous said the part of the plot could be used as additional parking.

Part of the five acre site close to the Harbour Quay development could be used as a car park. (Image: James Weeds) "We would say four-fifths of the work has been done," Mr Aldous said.

"And our priority is finding an end user, which will most likely be a residential care home. If that is not feasible, it will not sit empty for another five years."

A near-complete bathroom inside Harbour Quay. (Image: James Weeds) Mr Aldous said other viable options include reverting the rooms to apartments or converting the property into dormitories for students or workers if demand grows.

When planning was approved for the five-storey property in 2005, it was originally intended to become three separate blocks containing 24 apartments between them.

However, a change of use from apartments to a care home was granted to then-owner Scroby Fayre in 2013, including plans for the three blocks to be conjoined on four floors.

WHAT'S IT LIKE INSIDE?

The building is almost complete. Concrete stairwells have been plastered and contain bannisters, and most rooms have been fitted with doors. Extensive plumbing has been carried out, but some bathrooms still require fittings and finishing touches.

The building has lifts in each block and underfloor heating with individual controls in each bedroom at waist level.

One of the three stairwells inside Harbour Quay. (Image: James Weeds) Harbour Quay's listing on Rightmove states that although the property is "still under development, the structural elements of the property have been finished, leaving only the interior details to be completed".

The ground floor of the central building contains a reception and office space. The property has parking spaces on the ground floor of the first and third blocks.

Floors one to three contain 54 bedrooms of various sizes, with a further six bedrooms, a communal area and a kitchen on the fourth floor. The top floor has also been fitted with a hair salon.

Jeremy Aldous, group of property at Peter Colby Commercials Ltd. (Image: James Weeds)