Derbion submits city centre masterplan proposals

Plans to transform a large part of the city centre to create hundreds of new homes and commercial space have been lodged with Derby City Council.

Towards the end of last year, Derbion revealed ambitious proposals to regenerate two sites – the Eagle Quarter, made up of the current Eagle Market and Derby Theatre – and Bradshaw Way Retail Park.

As well as new homes, the plans also include shops, offices and public space.
Now, two separate applications, seeking outline permission for both schemes, have been submitted to the city council.

A statement filed with the city council relating to the Eagle Quarter project said the scheme would secure “the long-term future of this part of Derby city centre with the repurposing of under-utilised and outdated buildings” and assist in “making Derby a more attractive option and compete with other regional centres”.

The Eagle Quarter site is primarily occupied by the Eagle Market, Derby Theatre and The Castle and Falcon pub.

Under the proposals, these would be demolished, or partly demolished, to make way for 875 homes and around 25,000 sq ft of commercial space.

Phase one of the Eagle Quarter development forms part of the Eastern Gateway scheme, planning for which was lodged with the city council last year.

The Eastern Gateway aims to improve public access to the city centre from Derby bus station, build a new entrance to Derbion on East Street, add additional shops and leisure outlets and create a new public boulevard.

The application for the Bradshaw Way Retail Park site features up to 420 homes, about 50,000 sq ft of office space and 5,100 sq ft of commercial space.

Before submitting the planning applications, Derbion held an exhibition just before Christmas to get feedback from the public on its proposals.

Speaking back in December, when Derbion first unveiled the plans, commercial director Beth McDonald said: “We believe that increasing the mix of uses across both the Eagle Quarter and Bradshaw Way sites would improve the vitality of the city centre, increase connectivity and encourage people to actively enjoy and engage with the developing spaces, creating a more attractive gateway experience for visitors.

“Our masterplan is the starting point for us to explore future opportunities over the next 10 years and beyond that will benefit both Derbion and the ongoing regeneration of Derby city centre.”

To find out more about the Derbion masterplan visit https://www.derbion.com/masterplan/.