Talking Investment: ‘Derby reaping benefits of partnership approach’

Stepnell has a reputation as an award-winning responsible construction partner working with public sector clients. For the past two years the contractor has been working with Derby City Council to improve the city’s existing buildings. Here, Christian White, regional construction framework manager at Stepnell, explains how this partnership is helping to deliver maximum value to Derby – both financially and socially.

Today, the city of Derby is seeing a dramatic transformation, with demolition of existing landmarks, such as the old Debenhams store and Eagle Market, and construction of exciting new developments such as the Becketwell Live performance venue and the University of Derby’s new Business School.

Among all this impressive development, it may surprise some to know that Derby City Council continues to invest heavily in its existing buildings and facilities.

As Stepnell’s framework manager on SCAPE’s Regional Construction framework I have seen first-hand the commitment, collaboration and impact this investment has had on local communities.

We have been working with Derby City Council for the last two years, delivering more than 20 projects through the framework across a range of facilities including schools, leisure, community spaces and car parks.

The framework facilitates early contractor engagement, allowing Stepnell to collaborate with the council from the very start, ensuring projects are efficient, timely, cost-effective and delivered in a responsible way.

Maintaining and upgrading existing buildings is essential to regenerating city centres for a sustainable, low carbon future.

Sustainability was at the heart of our lighting upgrade project at Derby Arena.

First opened in 2015 as an Olympic legacy project, the building required replacement of outdated halogen lights with energy efficient LED alternatives.

This has reduced energy demand by 97,531 kWh and carbon emissions by 22.72 tonnes annually, saving the council £28,284 every year.

Derby City Council’s Children and Young People Capital Programme is an ambitious annual programme to deliver essential improvement works in schools.

Over the last two years we have carried out works to 14 schools, including windows, doors, and roof replacements and installation of low carbon heating such as air source heat pumps.

This has helped to reduce energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions, as part of Derby City Council’s 2022-2024 Climate Change Action Plan.

Upgrades also included asbestos removal, fire safety enhancements and electrical re-wiring to enable schools to remain safe, comfortable learning environments for the next generation.

On both Derby Arena and the school improvements, early engagement through the Regional Construction framework enabled collaboration and planning from the beginning.

This provided confidence in pricing, timescales and value for money, and allowed us to schedule works around the needs of the occupied buildings.

Stepnell is a community builder and to us, being a responsible business means enriching the lives of local people to create purpose beyond the building and profit to leave a lasting legacy in local communities.

Our partnership with Derby City Council means we can forge long-term relationships with the people and businesses of Derby ensuring we build social value into every project we deliver in the city.

Since 2022, this has included:

*74.6% local spend, with 47.7% going to MSMEs (micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises).

*276 hours spent supporting young people and those facing barriers to work.

*22 career events across multiple schools, including mainstream, SEND, and alternative provision schools.

*Direct engagement with 410 students through workshops on construction careers, STEM activities, and CV preparation, with a total reach of 1,657 students.

*29 work insight days provided for students in Years 10-12 to help prepare them for employment.

Our proactive, collaborative approach is paving the way for further regeneration and investment in existing buildings, ensuring Derby’s infrastructure not only meets today’s needs but also supports future generations.