It has not ruled out interest in the empty building and the derelict former Debenhams store
The House of Fraser department store, in Armada Way(Image: William Telford)
Defence giant Babcock International Group Plc is eyeing up empty and available sites in Plymouth and has not ruled out the soon to be empty House of Fraser building and the derelict former Debenhams store as a potential base for more than 2,000 of its workforce.
The FTSE 100 company last summer announced “transformative” plans to shift workers out of Devonport Dockyard and into the city centre.
The company has now told PlymouthLive it is working with Plymouth City Council to hunt for a new base, and said it was looking at “empty, available” buildings.
It would not be drawn on exact locations but when asked about the House of Fraser and Debenhams blocks it did not dismiss them and said they fitted the description of being empty and available.
A Babcock spokesperson said: “Last year we announced transformative plans to locate more than 2,000 colleagues from our Devonport site in the heart of Plymouth city-centre, underpinning the regeneration of the city and our commitment to deliver the defence dividend and drive economic growth in the region.
“This commitment remains and we are working closely with Plymouth City Council to identify empty, available premises that have the potential to be developed to deliver our needs.”
The House of Fraser department store, in Armada Way, Plymouth. Closing down sale, January 2026(Image: William Telford)
In December 2025 signs appeared in the windows of Plymouth’s huge House of Fraser store saying it would close in March and that shoppers were advised to shop online instead. A widespread closing down sale was started with “20% off full price”.
The 198,087sq ft building is still advertised for sale at £3m on the Vickery Holman website. There is a long lease with the potential to extend, let to SDI (Propco 46) Ltd, trading as House of Fraser, by way of a licence at a peppercorn rent.
Also last month, PlymouthLive revealed that the derelict former-Debenhams department store has become a potential death trap for teenagers and urban explorers who have been breaking into the building.
The derelict ex-Debenhams building, fronting onto New George Street(Image: William Telford)
The building was bought for £3.5m in 2022 and Essex-based developer BuildVantage Ltd announced plans to build a two-storey extension on top and see a huge chunk of the rear of the building demolished and rebuilt.
But work has yet to start and although PlymouthLive has contacted BuildVantage it has not received a response.
Last summer, Sutton and Devonport MP Luke Pollard raised concerns about the state of the former Western Morning News building, in New George Street, and called on owners to either regenerate or sell up.
The former Western Morning News, later Waterstones and Brewster’s Batteries, building, New George Street(Image: William Telford)
Plans to convert the building into a serviced aparthotel were submitted four years ago , and, despite gaining approval two yers ago , nothing had happened at the building.
In August last year, it was announced that the towering Moneycentre was to be turned into flats in a “bold” £24m regeneration. Manchester-based MCR Property Group bought the city centre building in what is thought to be a multi-million-pound deal.
The new owner said it plans to turn the former office block, at Drake Circus opposite the University of Plymouth, into 105 “high-quality” apartments , which will be rented out to “students, young professionals and urban renters”.
The Moneycentre(Image: William Telford)
MCR called it “part of a bold £24m regeneration initiative” and said the building will have a new name. Construction was due to start in late 2025, with completion targeted for this year, but work has not begun and PlymouthLive is awaiting an update.
Last year, Government quango Homes England bought the former Salvation Army Congress Hall, the dilapidated Mayflower House and the ex-Good Companions site, all in the city centre.
Plymouth City Council is working with Homes England on a plan to create 10,000 homes in the city centre, with minutes of a meeting saying that 30 tower blocks were being considered as a possible solution.
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