Developer hopes its third time lucky for food and drink market plan

A developer has resubmitted plans to create an outdoor artisan food and drink market in the heart of Derby city centre.

Burton Abbey Developments has put forward revised plans for The Yard Derby, which would be sited on a small, unused plot of land in St Peter’s Churchyard.

Proposals for the food and drink market have been turned down by Derby City Council’s planning committee on two previous occasions.

Now, it is hoped that it will be third time lucky for the scheme. The latest submission includes revised plans with alterations to the market’s size and layout compared to previous proposals.

The proposal has strong backing from the local business community – including Marketing Derby, which has submitted letters supporting the proposals and the land’s change of use.

In the letter supporting the proposal, John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, writes: “Burton Abbey Developments’ proposal to create an artisan food and drink market delivers substantial benefits for an area of the city that is challenged both economically and socially.

“It fits with the ambition of Derby City Council in regenerating underused parts of the city and to diversify the daytime and night-time economies.”

The new proposal for The Yard Derby involves creating 10 retail units, a reduction from the previous 12.

These spaces would be arranged in an ‘L-shaped’ configuration along the southern and western edges of the site, situated away from the Grade II*-listed St. Peter’s Church and the Grade II*-listed Old Grammar School.

Additionally, the plans incorporate a seating area with a capacity for up to 100 people.

One key aspect of the proposal and location involves the developer’s plan to create an entrance to the new market through the historic 19th-century wall bordering the site.

According to Derby City Council, this wall is considered “curtilage listed,” which means it’s not listed as a Grade itself but is a valuable element within an area where Grade Listed structures are present.

As a result, it should be treated with the same level of care as the Grade Listed structures in that vicinity.

However, in their updated application, Burton Abbey Developments argues that there is room for discussion regarding the wall’s “heritage significance” in the city and are once again advocating for its partial demolition.

Marketing Derby’s letter of support states: “This particular piece of land sits on a significant pedestrian thoroughfare for visitors to the new 3,500 capacity performance venue on the regenerated Becketwell site from areas such as Derbion, the bus station and the Market Hall.

“The owner seeks to enhance and make reparations to the boundary wall and therefore improve the overall aesthetic from its current dilapidated condition.

“While there is an appreciation of the historical significance of the site, the proposed improvements serve to enhance and promote the important heritage. This is proven by the encouraging endorsement of local heritage specialists.”