Pictured: Alec Hamlin, Blueprint, and Jason Smith, Bakewell and Partners, outside Simpson's House

Historic properties in Derby's Cathedral Quarter have undergone major renovations thanks to Blueprint, the specialist regeneration developer behind the mixed-use scheme Sadler Square.

Repairs have been made to the windows, stonework and render of 18 and 19 Sadler Gate - Mark Scott hairdressers and Sadlergates Café - and Simpson's House on St Mary's Gate in order to preserve and restore the buildings.

All three properties are in a conservation area, with the Sadlergates Café building on Sadler Gate listed Grade Two, and 35-36 St Mary's Gate listed Grade Two Star. Simpson's House also has one of Derby's few surviving Georgian gardens.

The majority of the refurbishment scheme was financed by Blueprint but a significant contribution also came from Derby City Council and English Heritage.

Alec Hamlin, development director at Blueprint, said: "Derby's Cathedral Quarter is an important and vibrant part of the City with lots of history and character, so with help from Derby City Council and English Heritage's Partnership Scheme Grant, it's fantastic that we have been able to conserve and repair these buildings and help protect the heritage of the area."

As part of this project, restoration to the alleyway leading to Blacksmiths Yard has taken place, and shop fronts on Sadler Gate have been replaced.

Repairs were carried out by Nottingham based Rotunda Construction and the shopfront by Derby based Shone Building Ltd, both with direction from architects Bakewell and Partners and the Derby City Council conservation team.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Philip Hickson said: "English Heritage have said that they are very pleased with high quality conservation works. They feel the standard of the project has been of a very high quality and that the scheme ranks as one of the best Partnership Scheme in Conservation Areas in the country. We are very proud that this scheme has received such national recognition. We are also delighted how the work, so far, has been a great boost in helping to regenerate both the Cathedral Quarter and the city centre as a whole."

A public-private partnership, Blueprint is best known for major urban regeneration projects such as No.1 Nottingham Science Park and Phoenix Square digital media centre in Leicester, but it also owns property across the East Midlands, much of it in the Derby area.