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04 nEWS The latest news about regeneration transforming the city

08 MARkETS Facts and figures

11 ST PETERS QuARTER Will city centre businesses decide on a Business Improvement District?

16 LEISuRE STRATEGy Derby needs new sports and fitness facilities – how will this work?

20 CASTLEWARD urban village and a brand new boulevard from city centre to railway station

25 SuITS on THE STREET unlocking office developments to boost the city centre economy

28 REGEnERATIon FRAMEWoRk Five years on – how to accelerate regeneration

32 kEEP THE MoMEnTuM Snapshot of Derby’s major regeneration projects

39 ALL ToGETHER noW How Derby’s partnerships are adapting successfully in the current climate

43 EDuCATIon Independent schools in and around Derby

46 MADE In DERBy Royal Crown Derby’s illustrious heritage – and its link to the Titanic

contents ISSuE 04Fou

R

Derby’s regeneration magazine

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QuoTE oF THE ISSuE:

“There have been few winners

among the uK’s industrial cities in recent

years but Derby stands out for the strength of its local economy” FInAncIAl TIMES

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news

Update Latest news from the £2 billion regeneration programme totransform Derby’s city centre

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EXHIBITION

Over 100,000 visitors and the world’s finest photographers gathered in Derby for the fifth FORMAT international photography festival during March and April 2011. The festival theme, Right Here, Right Now, focused on street photography, with over 3,000 works by 300 different artists from around the world, displayed at venues around the city.

As well as displaying the most comprehensive collection of street

photography ever seen, the festival also included an extensive series of events, including a conference, portfolio reviews, and workshops by leading international artists and practitioners.

FORMAT is now one of the world’s top ten leading international contemporary festivals of photography and related media. Visit www.formatfestival.com for more information

PUBLIC REALM

Future projects will support delivery of the city centre regeneration framework, including improvements to the frontage of Derby Rail Station

The £20 million programme to improve Derby’s public realm continues, with projects now completed in the city centre, following investment totalling £9 million to date. An additional £5 million worth of improvements are under way, with a further £6 million planned.

Projects at Wardwick, Friar Gate and Cheapside, along with redesign of the Morledge, are almost finalised. Completed schemes include: St Alkmund’s pedestrian and cycle bridge; refurbishment of East Street; Cathedral Green and Cathedral Green Bridge; improvements to Midland Place – the initial phase in developing a boulevard to link the railway station with the city centre; and the Building Frontages Grant Scheme, which has improved around 20 properties.

Future projects will support delivery of the city centre regeneration framework, including improvements to the frontage of Derby Rail Station, major redevelopment of the Castleward area, refurbishment of the Riverside Gardens and illuminating the façades of some of the city centre’s key buildings, to support development of the night-time economy.

Investment in public realm is improving the quality of the city centre, helping to attract new businesses and shoppers.

Derby City Council has secured almost 75% of the necessary funding from external grants or private developer contributions.

Ways of seeing

Public spaces transformed

Innes England’s definitive report on the East Midlands commercial property market, shows that despite predictions, the Derby landscape remains strong, with the city’s balanced economy keeping prospects alive. In its Market Insite Report on the Derby, Leicester and Nottingham

market from 2006 to 2010, Innes England finds the balance of Derby’s economy leaves it poised for strong activity to continue: “Derby’s office sector remains robust with strong demand from the rail and engineering sectors, particularly for the final plots on Pride Park.”

Derby defies property slump

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FUNDING

Lonely Planet magazine rates Derby alongside a Portuguese beach and Goa in India, in its 10 easy trips supplement. And all thanks to the Good Beer Guide 2011 naming Derby ‘the first city of beer’. Cheers!

Derby City Embassy hosted over 100 guests at MIPIM, the international property conference in Cannes in March. The event premiered a new film, Derby – The Renaissance Continues.

MIPIM brings together the most influential real estate professionals to explore major international property development projects, connect with potential partners – and strike deals.

Derby has attracted £1 billion of investment over the past three years and has sent a delegation to initiate the next phase of The Derby Plan. The delegation was led by council leader, Harvey Jennings, with chief

executive, Adam Wilkinson, director of regeneration, Richard Williams, and business ambassadors from Marketing Derby Bondholder companies. Jennings introduced The Derby Plan outlining the next phase of development priorities for his city. Wilkinson announced Compendium Living as the preferred developer for the Castleward Urban Village project, delivering over 800 new homes and a school on brownfield land.

Derby City Retail Embassy also took place in March at the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall, London, with 60 agents and guests attending. Dan Parr, associate director at CACI and Myf Ryan, general manager marketing, UK Westfield Shoppingtowns Ltd, updated the audience on the next wave of retail and leisure investment opportunities. Attendees also learned how their business case for investment can be supported through research capabilities.

ARCHITECTURE

QUAD among world’s best art buildings

MSN.COM, one of the world’s most visted websites, has rated QUAD Derby as one of 12 Arty Architectural Wonders from around the globe.MSN.COM’s travel section features ‘Dream-like buildings and gravity-defying glass cubes … 12 arty architectural wonders’.

QUAD, designed by

Feilden Clegg Bradley, is “modern architecture at its best, somehow making steel and glass look welcoming and accessible.” QUAD was selected alongside Frank O Gehry’s Guggenheim Bilbao and Art Gallery of Ontario, Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in Berlin, Rome’s MAXXI art galllery and Glasgow’s

Riverside by Zaha Hadid.Other iconic buildings were chosen from Singapore, Rio de Janeiro, Athens, Florida, Mexico and Valencia.

Adam Buss, QUAD’s deputy director, said, “You can see just by looking at the places the other venues are located, that QUAD Derby is rightly seen as world-class.”

Derby Cannes do

Derby has attracted £1 billion of investment over the past three years

The next phase of Derby’s commercial property renaissance is beginning, as work on Lowbridge’s 9,300sq m Friar Gate Square is expected to get under way, thanks to Derby City Council’s £10 million regeneration fund.

Projects also benefitting from the first funding round – all in the city’s Cathedral Quarter – are the 4,650sq m Central Square development by Bolsterstone, Clowes

Development’s 560sq m St Mary’s Gate scheme, and the refurbishment of the former Full Street magistrates’ court.

Martin Langsdale, chair of the Cathedral Quarter Management Group which drives forward activities under the area’s Business Improvement District status, said: “This puts Cathedral Quarter on the radar of the commercial property industry as an area to invest.”

Cathedral Quarter funding goes ahead

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Update

PUBLIC REALM

EDUCATION

A silent revolution has been taking place on the streets of Derby, with installation of a state-of-the-art signposting system. The city’s Wayfinding system, the first of its kind in the country, combines basic signposts with the

latest technology to allow people to access additional information using smart phones.

Wayfinding enables visitors and residents to download thousands of facts about the history, geography and social aspects of their surroundings at the touch of a button.

Derby’s project is expected to be the first of many to spring up across the UK. Deputy city council leader Matthew Holmes said:

“The attractions of such a scheme should be obvious. With regeneration at the heart of what the city is all about, we are introducing an information-on-the-move system, which will attract visitors, either in the form of tourists or new residents, and will enhance the city’s offering to outside investment while at the same time, improving the way Derby’s citizens experience life in the city centre.”

Hi-tech city, hi-tech signs

CULTURE

Cafe culture could come to the banks of the Derwent, as part of refurbishment of the Council House. A £400,000 project for a cafe and terrace would increase use of the River Gardens.

The decked terrace area outside the Council House would link to the cafe area inside the building, which leader Harvey Jennings said tied in well with the overall vision for the River Gardens. “The cafe will be open to the public and is part of our overall ambition to open up the riverside for public use and make it a more attractive area for use as a recreational space.”

The Council House is undergoing a multimillion pound refurbishment, so council staff can be brought under one roof instead of occupying various city centre offices.

Plans for the cafe are part of a facelift for the River Gardens area, which includes resurfacing paths, new planting, replacement lighting and benches. Completion of the River Gardens is planned for summer 2012, and the Council House for autumn 2012.

Latte on the river

LEP bids for £137 millionDerby’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), named D2N2, has selected the projects to bid for £137 million from the government’s Regional Growth Fund.

D2N2 members are leaders of the city and county councils in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, along with representatives from business and education. It will replace East Midlands Development Agency, which will be abolished in 2012. The LEP calculates that if awarded the £137 million of funding, it will lever in a further £80 million of private-sector investment.

Derby’s biggest application is for £16.9 million to help

fund the city’s regeneration.About £5 million would

be allocated to the Sadler Square project, which had been stalled by the recession. A further £2.3 million would fund a Marketing Derby-led project to generate employment in hi-tech industries and tourism.

Derby Enterprise and Skills Growth seeks £1.7 million for its project to help start-up businesses and ensure that local people have the right skills for local jobs.

A £1.85 million Career Pathways project from the University of Derby would support public-sector workers to find work in the private

sector, after having been made redundant.

A bid for £2.06 million would fund another scheme to support Derby’s growing creative industries.

Chair of the board Colin Walton, UK chairman of Derby train-maker Bombardier, said: “It is not about securing as much money as possible for Derby or Derbyshire. It is about securing cash for the region. Together, one of our aims is to make the decision-makers in London realise just what an important region we are to the national economy. For example, our hi-tech manufacturing capability is a £10 billion business.”

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retail

Simple logic: working as a group achieves better results than working individually. For the past few years, Derby businesses have applied this to create Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) – working together to bring about change to their area. Derby’s Cathedral Quarter became

the city’s first BID when it was established in 2007. Now it is the turn of the St Peters Quarter to strive to achieve similar success. First introduced into the UK through the Local Government Act in 2003, BIDs provide services, supplementary to those already provided by local councils, such as cleaning streets, providing security, making capital improvements, and marketing the area.

Spurred on by the success of the Cathedral Quarter BID – it has seen around 90 businesses open in the area in the last three years (see panel) – so businesses in St Peters Quarter are setting about establishing their own BID, which will cover the area bounded by the Morledge, Becket Well and Victoria Street. The area has a mixed offer with 60% of businesses being shops and around half of those national chains. There is also a strong leisure offer.

Stephen Jeffery, chair of the St Peters Quarter BID board says the top three issues flagged up by the businesses were better promotion of the area, increased footfall and improving the environment such as refurbishing the outside of buildings and upgrading public spaces (see photo on previous page). He says: “Despite the economic downturn, 14% of businesses were seeking to invest in their property

and 75% were in favour of making the area a Business Improvement District.”

A new identity, centring on the landmark St Peters Church, was established. Branding is vital and its importance has been proven in the Cathedral Quarter, says Jeffery. “We need to give the St Peters Quarter a clear identity and then develop and communicate our brand values which can be embraced by the businesses, visitors, and of course, businesses looking to invest in the area.”

Now, the St Peters BID is under consultation, but it is hoped the proposal will be voted for by the local businesses in July. “What this will mean,” says Richard Williams, director of regeneration for Derby City Council, “is if the St Peters BID is successful in the summer, we will have three distinct areas for managing the city centre – St Peters, Westfield and the Cathedral Quarter.”

The 1.1 millioN square feeT shoPPiNg ceNTre By Australian developer Westfield, opened in 2007, and has helped propel the city up the CACI’s UK retail rankings from 63rd to 33rd with the potential retail spend increasing by over £240m. As a result, Williams sees the shopping centre as essentially the city’s third BID.

“Westfield has also been a catalyst for the establishment of the Cathedral Quarter BID. Once we knew that Westfield was a goer we knew what we wanted to do,” says Williams, “We also saw the benefit of getting together to help a unique place in the city centre.”

above: alfresco ambience is spreading throughout towns and cities and it’s an aspiration for a thriving st Peters quarter.centre: The art college and Trinity Baptist church, some of the area’s heritage buildings.right: st Peters church, the area’s landmark. right below: Book cafe in cornmarket, one of many successful businesses in the cathedral quarter.

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too large and that the two BID areas together will be half of the city centre – where does that leave the rest of the city centre? Another concern is that the BID only focuses on retail and to provide a well functioning area, in urban design terms, a mix of uses and active buildings and spaces needs all uses to be tackled.”

In some respects, this is being achieved through Derby’s ambitious £50 million leisure strategy. Proposals include consideration of a velodrome and multi-function sports venue, a 50-metre Olympic swimming pool and four sports centres, which could be funded by a Private Finance Initiative. One suggestion is for the swimming pool to be housed in the former Debenhams building on Victoria Street.

siNce BeiNg BoughT By WesTfield iN 2007 the Debenhams building has been vacant. The developer is trying either to sell it or to install a temporary tenant.

“There is no doubt that the Debenhams building is a blot on the landscape,” admits Williams. Jeffery points out that: “The former Debenhams site and adjacent Becket Well area are key gateways to the St Peters Quarter and their future development is crucial to the area’s overall

success. The leisure strategy is an interesting concept which would raise the area’s profile and drive footfall to and around St Peters Quarter.”

Despite the controversy over the Debenhams building and ongoing discussions about its future, Westfield is fully in favour of the St Peters BID initiative. Janine Bone, Westfield Derby centre manager, says: “Westfield... is actively participating in progress as a member of the BID board. It has been pleasing to see the improvement that the Cathedral Quarter BID has had in enhancing Derby’s shopping offer. We are confident that the St Peters Quarter BID will have another positive impact on the city.”

The enthusiasm of Westfield and other businesses is key to the success of the BID. “The BID needs to be driven by the businesses who decide what the priorities and actions will be,” says Jeffery. “It is important to note that anything that we do will be additional to services already delivered by such bodies as Derby City Council – not replacing them with funding from the BID.”

Jeffery adds: “The BID will also provide a valuable mechanism through which future planning of the area, with such sites as Becket Well and the former Debenhams store, can be co-ordinated for the benefit of all businesses.”◆

retail

a new vision for the heart of st Peters quarter.

The cathedral quarter effect Established in 2007, the Cathedral Quarter BID, has gained praise for its success. Stephen Jeffery, chair of the St Peters Quarter BID board, says: “The Cathedral Quarter has been very successful in developing a brand and promoting its unique selling points. It has delivered a number of key initiatives over the past three years, which have had a positive impact on the area and have directly supported the businesses there.

“It is therefore a relatable and local model that we have been able to refer to and take inspiration from. It has also helped us to clarify in our minds how we want to take forward our own plans for the St Peters Quarter.”

According to Martin Langsdale, who is chair of the Cathedral Quarter Management Group, it is clear that businesses “have reaped the reward of creating a destination and the Cathedral Quarter is now widely known and used as a name to describe this part of the city centre.” But he believes that St Peters Quarter will need to find and forge its own identity. “In time it will do so and this will help businesses come together and visitors to appreciate and understand the characteristics of this area. It will all add to the attractiveness of Derby as a whole. “There will be challenges ahead and one of the key factors in ensuring success is for businesses to remain involved and take advantage of what the BID has to offer. This is not something which is done for them as a business – if they want success, as with anything else, they have to work at it.”

“The leisure strategy is an interesting concept which would raise the area’s profile and drive footfall to and around St Peters Quarter”

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Forward motion

Plans to invest in top quality sports facilities in Derby go beyond swimming and cycling. Further development will ride in tandem, with two major hubs creating a revolution in the city’s leisure facilities. Paul Coleman reports

Derby’s citizens were perplexed when local radio broke the news. People asked, “How can Derby justify spending £50 million to build an Olympic standard swimming pool and a velodrome, when the city is hit by recession, public spending cuts and job

losses?” Their scepticism, perhaps, was understandable. Plans focus on two major hubs: a £28 million, 50-metre

swimming pool with teaching and toddlers’ pools; and a £22 million multi-purpose fitness centre with a 250m indoor track and 2km outdoor road cycling circuit. The cycling hub would also be equipped for tennis, badminton, aerobics and keep fit.

There are wider benefits to Derby City Council’s investment in new leisure facilities – jobs, homes, offices, shops and community facilities. Paul Robinson, the council’s director of environmental services, said: “The leisure developments will attract additional investment to Derby. Interest is already being shown by a number of developers.”

Regeneration benefits of the sporting hubs and their immediate surroundings have yet to be detailed, so, for now, the sporting benefits are clearer. The immediate aim is to replace the current stock of leisure facilities with state-of-the art venues. Robinson explains the idea to develop centres offering opportunities for people of all abilities. The aim is to inspire individuals to reach their potential,

whether in recreational or competitive elite sports. The ‘spoke’ pools will be at Gayton and a new pool at the Oakwood library and leisure centre in Derby’s north-east.

“The facilities are called ‘hubs’ for this very reason,” said Robinson. “The aim is to reach out into communities and provide opportunities, within the buildings but also in our parks and open spaces.”

Tom Glick, president and CEO of Derby County FC, said the famous football club is eager to assist with this “very exciting plan for the city’s younger and older residents.” Glick looks forward to seeing top class sports, arts and cultural events at the new arena.

Glick pinpoints a wider gain. “These facilities, by enhancing the quality of life in the area, will make it easier for expanding businesses to recruit top candidates. Furthermore, new businesses will find their decision to relocate to the area much easier, as these facilities will make Derby and the East Midlands even more attractive. If the population grows, Derby County, as a football club and as a business, can only benefit.”

Keith Jeffrey is director of the QUAD arts centre, and he also embraces the proposals. “The plans add to the general sense of forward motion in Derby,” said Jeffrey. “It shows that there is ambition to attract inward investment and create a place where people want to live. That’s very good for a place like QUAD too.”

leisure

The thrust of Derby’s leisure strategy is to offer excellent fitness facilities for all, whether elite sportspeople or a local keep fit group, at any level of exercise or dedicated training.

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Urban Village

Castleward Urban Village will be

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castleward

Boulevard Castleward With a preferred developer selected, transformation of this vital part of Derby into an urban village can begin, creating a boulevard between the city centre and the railway station. David Blackman reports

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Our current projects include:

The Blue Corridor MasterplanFull Street Public Realm Improvement WorksConservation and Management Strategies for Derby Silk Mill and Darley Abbey MillsStrategic Environmental Assessment for the Local Transport PlanSustainable Urban Extension and Strategic Site Options StudyStrategic Flood Risk Assessment II Blue CorridorMuseum Square Design Vision

Our Nottingham and Derby offices are heavily involved and committed to creating a dynamic and lively Derby. Utilising our combined experience and knowledge we seek to help deliver the City Council’s 2020 Vision and create a city for all ages.

For more information please contact:David BrierleyTel: 0115 957 4934david.brierley@atkinsglobal.comFind out more atwww.atkinsglobal.com

We are one of the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary consultancies with around 350 members of staff employed in the East Midlands covering:

PlanningMasterplanningUrban and Landscape DesignEconomicsHeritageFlood Risk and DrainageGeo-Technical Engineering TransportEcologySustainabilityEnvironmental science

We are committed to providing innovative yet practicable solutions tailored to meet local needs.

Our Derby office is heavily involved and committed to creating a dynamic and lively Derby. Utilising our combined experience and knowledge we seek to help deliver the City Council’s 2020 Vision and create a city for all ages.

Our recent projects include:

Full Street Public Realm Improvement WorksConservation and Management Strategies for Derby Silk Milland Darley Abbey MillsStrategic Environmental Assessment for the Local Transport PlanSustainable Urban Extension and Strategic Site Options StudyStrategic Flood Risk Assessment II Blue CorridorMuseum Square Design Vision

We are currently working on the Blue Corridor Masterplan in collaboration with Derby City Council and the Environment Agency.

We are one of the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary consultancies with around 350 members of staff employed in the East Midlands covering:

PlanningMasterplanningUrban and Landscape DesignEconomicsHeritageFlood Risk and DrainageGeo-Technical EngineeringTransportEcologySustainabilityEnvironmental science

We are committed to providing innovative yet practicable solutions tailored to meet local needs.

For more information please contact:David BrierleyTel: 01332 225701david.brierley@atkinsglobal.comFind out more atwww.atkinsglobal.com

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regeneration funding

market rent levels. Gap funding may also be used to improve the viability of some projects. Council-owned land can be vested at market value in the ventures and public funding used to help with reclamation, infrastructure provision and even professional fees associated with developments. The provision of rental guarantees for up to three years could be an important incentive in the current climate and these can be tapered so that a larger proportion is guaranteed in the first year.

A lArGer thAn expecteD number of schemes were submitted for funding. The approval process was under way as Perspective went to press, with clear signs of potential success. Developers had made 19 bids by the new year and five new schemes were announced at the Derby City Embassy at MIPIM 2011. Developments at Friar Gate Square, Central Square, St Mary’s Gate, Darley Abbey and Full Street were all given the green light.

Also Compendium Living was selected as development partner on the first phase of the 10-year Castleward project and will submit an outline planning application for the £100 million scheme. The council’s fund will support the acquisition of land needed for the site to progress.

Richard Williams, the council’s director of regeneration, hopes the fund will result in significant projects coming to fruition in 2011. These will probably be existing schemes that have been stalled by relatively minor issues such as access routes, planning details or small parcels of land that still needed to be put in place. There is already more than one million square feet [93,000sq m] of new office space in Derby with planning permission but waiting to be built – and the fund can bring some of these developments to life. Williams said, “We hope the £10 million will lever in a further £75 million from the private sector.” He added: “The projects chosen have to provide value for money and the prospect of a return for the city council, which could be put back into the regeneration pot.”

One stalled project is the former police station and courthouse in Full Street, derelict for over five years despite a £30 million scheme by Wilson Bowden for offices and apartments. Following agreement to increase the office space in the scheme, final planning permission was given last November. The city council is now working with Wilson Bowden on the phasing of the project and how best to secure a major occupier.

Another future development is Norseman Holdings’ OneDerby scheme. This would be the city’s single largest office project, with planning permission agreed last year for 37,160sq m of Grade A space.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, believes the fund is important in maintaining the city’s regeneration momentum, especially in conjunction with the council’s upcoming £100 million capital investment programme, including the Council House refurbishment. “The city centre has seen over 4,000 jobs created, mostly in retail and leisure,” said Forkin, “but the critical success factor will be maintaining the momentum of Derby’s regeneration. Lose this and it could take years to kickstart again. The fund shows the city council continues to have ambitions for the city and it improves the viability of some key commercial property sites.”

He also feels it is vital for Derby to be higher on the investment radar: “The fuel for investment is confidence, which is cultivated by ambition, evidenced by action, and there is plenty of action in Derby,” said Forkin.

Derby’s regeneration fund could bring positive results in a short time. It is a pragmatic approach to the development hiatus facing Derby and almost all major English regional cities. As council leader Harvey Jennings said: “This fund recognises the need for the public sector to take a lead in these difficult times. We understand that the market climate has prevented important developments from being taken forward and we want the regeneration fund to unblock this.” ◆

“... the critical success factor will be maintaining the momentum of Derby’s regeneration. Lose this and it could take years to kickstart again. The fund shows the city council continues to have ambitions for the city and it improves the viability of some key commercial property sites”

Adam Wilkinson, chief executive of Derby City Council, thinks the fund will replicate the success of Pride Park, bringing the ‘suits’ back into the centre to boost its economy.

Richard Williams, the council’s director of regeneration, wants to see at least three or four major projects coming out of the ground as a result of the regeneration fund.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, considers it essential that the city is perceived as a destination for investment.

Harvey Jennings, council leader, thinks that in such difficult times, the public sector has to take the lead in enabling stalled schemes to move forward.

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In the decade to 2008, Derby’s economy soared, with 6,100 jobs created in the city – more than half of those within the private sector. Average earnings for Derby’s workers now outstrip all cities outside London. And while Derby was not immune to the UK’s overall decline in manufacturing, its job losses in this sector were just half

the national rate over the period.Much of the success was due to the city’s large

advanced manufacturing-based employers which have been dubbed “trains, planes and automobiles”. Rolls-Royce employs 12,000 people – around half its UK workforce – at its site in the south of the city, contributing around £3.1 billion to the city’s economy. Train manufacturer Bombardier employs 2,500, with many more in related rail jobs. And Toyota’s South Derbyshire plant employs more than 3,500.

However, until relatively recently, Derby had struggled to fully capitalise on the wealth created by these global players. John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “The city was leaking its wealth. Because the city centre had not really been invested in, employees were often living outside Derby and spending their money elsewhere.” An additional problem caused by the run-down city centre was that it was becoming increasingly difficult for employers to attract and retain staff.

Deciding on radical action, the city created an urban regeneration company, Derby Cityscape, and drew up a masterplan in 2005. It set ambitious targets for one million square feet of retail space, 500 new hotel places and 5,000

regeneration framework

new homes – plus improvements to the city’s cultural offering and public realm. The timeframe was 15 years, and five years on, the progress has been breathtaking.

The masterplan helped smooth the way for Australian developer Westfield to use Derby as the home of its first UK shopping centre. The existing Eagle Centre was refurbished and an extension doubled its total size to one million square feet – meeting the masterplan’s retail floorspace target in one fell swoop. It opened six months ahead of schedule in 2007 and now attracts 25 million shoppers each year, second only to Westfield London.

Westfield saW derby leap from 63rd to 33rd in the list of UK shopping destinations, creating around 3,000 jobs within the city centre. Forkin said it proved the masterplan was the right strategy, implemented at exactly the right time: “The Westfield project, assisted by the masterplan, turned out to be blessed by perfect timing – such a scheme wouldn’t be brought forward under current market conditions.”

Another aim was to attract hotel operators. The masterplan identified the lack of hotel accommodation as an obstacle to the city capitalising on potential revenue from visitor attractions, including the Silk Mill Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Assembly Rooms, as well as from business visitors. Forkin said: “The city centre hadn’t seen a new hotel development for decades, but within five years, we have 550 additional rooms, with Jury’s Inn and Holiday Inn, among other operators, building fantastic facilities.”

In the cultural sector too, the masterplan has clearly been a success. In the autumn of 2008, a major attraction, QUAD, opened its doors. The contemporary visual arts centre has won awards for its architecture, hosts arthouse films and exhibitions, and provides workshop space for local arts groups. It attracts more than 250,000 visitors each year, an opportunity to bring spending into the city centre.

running with the gazellesFor five years, transformation of Derby’s city centre has been under way. Taking stock of progress, an emerging framework will accelerate further its regeneration – and a leading thinktank advises it to support ‘gazelle’ businesses. Colin marrs finds out why

top: around 3,000 jobs were created at Westfield derby.above: the silk mill museum is a UNesCo World Heritage site.

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regeneration framework

Last year, the Centre for Cities thinktank was commissioned to undertake a thorough assessment of future opportunities for Derby. Praising its strong economic performance, it also warned of the risk that the city’s reliance on a few large employers could leave it vulnerable to job losses if any of them were to downsize. It also identified the leakage of spending to Derby’s hinterlands as a continuing issue.

With the imminent demise of regional development agency, EMDA, and uncertainty over funding for, and the long-term impact of, existing national and regional business support programmes, the council has also commissioned a review of enterprise support. Launched by consultants GVA in February, it recommended that Derby should provide targeted support to ‘gazelle’ businesses – those with high growth potential.

These two reports, along with other studies and a local economic assessment, feed into the production of the city’s new economic strategy. Peter Richardson, chair of Derby Renaissance Board, the partnership driving the strategy, said: “Our long-term aim is to create 16,000 net additional jobs by 2023. There are three strands to our economic strategy going forwards: creating a culture of enterprise and innovation; ensuring workforce skills match business needs; and maximising the quality of life in Derby.”

plaNNiNg permissioNs exist for offiCe sCHemes totalling around a million square feet of space. However, the difficulty in securing finance for property developments couldn’t have come at a worse time in the city’s efforts to encourage speculative new office developments. Forkin said: “We need these ‘suits on the street’ to boost the daytime retail economy.”

Determined to break the logjam, the city council launched a £10 million regeneration fund in November 2010. This fund will see the council provide funding to developers in order to build speculative office schemes. Greg Jennings, the council’s head of regeneration, said: “We have a lot of firms that are expressing an interest in coming to Derby. Having offices built out and ready to

occupy will help us to secure these new occupiers.”In an effort to pump-prime office development, public

space has been transformed in areas including Cathedral Green, the Morledge and Friar Gate and the Wardwick. A new bus station and several footbridges have been built. Plans are at an advanced stage to remodel the forecourt of the railway station following substantial investment in new platform facilities.

Additionally, development partners have been selected to build a new urban village in the Castleward area of the city centre, between the station and Westfield.

a major revisioN to tHe origiNal CitysCape Masterplan is in the final stages. This regeneration framework outlines a blueprint for the physical development of the city centre. It updates the Cityscape Masterplan, identifying key areas where investment should be directed in coming years. Among its main priorities are city centre public realm improvements and housing development on the edge of the centre. The council hopes to approve the plan by September 2011, following a public consultation exercise.

Attracting the right businesses for Derby will require some effort, and the city is already showing it is prepared to go the extra mile to achieve this. The Derby Embassy is proving a successful marketing tool, with events in London, Birmingham and at the MIPIM conference in Cannes. Potential investors have heard a range of guest speakers including Bert Pijls, UK head of Citibank, and UK chairman of Bombardier, Colin Walton.

Additionally, Derby has forged an alliance – named D2N2 – with Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire councils and other public and private sector partners, under a Local Enterprise Partnership arrangement. D2N2 aims to provide a powerful voice for this part of the East Midlands.

With existing partnerships and economic development bodies well established, the tools are firmly in place to help deliver the city’s reinvigorated economic and spatial strategies. Derby is looking to the future with optimism and a sense of collective purpose. ◆

top: bombardier employs 2,500, with many more working in train related businesses.above: Cathedral green bridge is one of several major enhancements to the public realm in derby’s city centre.

1 liviNg City tackling dereliction Westfield has boosted Derby’s overall retail offer but the recession resulted in some empty units elsewhere – new plans will see further redevelopment.

2 City of CHoiCe culture, leisure and retail destination Derby believes retail is a leisure activity, and intends to improve public realm to improve the experience of shoppers.

3 bUsiNess City supporting economic growth The regeneration fund, along with city centre improvements, will help attract business.

4 City by tHe river maximising the riverside Housing and other forms of development can help to transform the city’s waterside areas, for residential and a range of leisure uses.

5 iNteraCtive City people, communities and businesses engaged Public realm improvements will provide gateways for people to meet and interact with each other.

The regeneration framework

Launched by consultants GVA in February, ... [the review] recommended that Derby should provide targeted support to ‘gazelle’ businesses – those with high growth potential

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2011-12/Top ciTy cenTre projecTs

➵

NORTH

The bigger picture: major schemes

delivered; in development;

or planned; that are transforming

Derby’s city centre

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said the coverage of regeneration

issues was “extremely good”

or “good”.

of delegates at SocInvest 2010

said the event met their objectives

“extremely well” or “well”.

75% 76%said they took away ideas and

information that would help

them with funding initiatives.

69%

11

� e premier regeneration fi nance and funding event

took place in London on June 16, 2010,

attended by 160 senior regeneration executives

from the public and private sectors across

the UK.

Comments included:“Good selection of

speakers and issues covered”

“Flowed well and kept interest going all day”

“Excellent day - great mix of subjects and

speakers”

SocInvest returns in 2011 for the fourth year running. Can you aff ord

to miss out?

Keep track of the developing programme at www.SocInvest.co.ukand subscribe there to

the monthly newsletter and research projects.

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public-private partnerships

when private investment had suddenly dried up. “My role as chair of the Renaissance Board is to put

together an overall economic and physical regeneration plan for the development of Derby,” he said.

He anticipates this regeneration of the city will create 16,000 new jobs by 2023. He reckons that 10,000 of these could come from seven major office development sites that are ready to build but need extra investment to get them under way. Several should receive just that, courtesy of Derby City Council’s £10 million regeneration fund, which has just announced funding for successful developer bids in an effort to kick-start the schemes.

“We’d like to see the first three coming out of the ground between summer and autumn 2011,” said Richard Williams, director of regeneration at Derby City Council. “The city centre is our main priority. It punches below its weight in terms of its offer to visitors and to those who come here to work.”

The Renaissance Board’s Derby Plan will cover everything that makes the city tick, from education to infrastructure, and is due to be completed in May.

Crucially its remit is much broader geographically than that of Derby Cityscape, and is private sector led with representatives from the public and third sectors. As such, it will be encouraging projects that are favourable to LEP priorities for the two cities and counties.

“The focus will be on creating jobs, quality of life, regeneration and skills,” said Richardson. “The private sector and third sector involvement is an excellent model in our city. These are challenging and quite stressful times. So a good working relationship where common objectives have been openly discussed is a great starting point for our city.”

The board will work closely with the LEP, which is up and running with a mix of private and public sector involvement. The LEP’s shadow board is chaired by Colin Walton of trainmaker Bombardier. Other private sector members include Speedo president David Robinson and Peter Varnsverry, head of the Explore manufacturing facility owned by Laing O’Rourke. Public sector representatives include the leaders of the two city and two county councils.

“It’s an exciting time because there are no rigid guidelines to follow and government is still looking to see how the LEP will work,” said Walton.

Above: industrial heritage at darley Abbey mill. Previous page: derby city centre and examples of premium brand targets – Waitrose and Wagamama.

“As a local enterprise we think we know what’s best for our region and we can maximise central government funding ... It’s up to us to produce the right business case”

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education

Main image and above: Repton School was founded in 1557, with some buildings dating back to the sixth century.

to say, ‘Well here are a number of options, you choose the one that is most comfortable for you,’” says Glick.

“Derby High School is academically rigorous and challenging; it’s tailored to each girl’s strengths; there’s a great breadth of subject matter covered; there’s a focus on achievement as well as effort. We think the girls there are capable, poised, confident young women, well prepared for whatever they decide to do next.”

In headteacher Colin Callaghan’s view, the grounded pupil is equipped to achieve her or his individual goals. “The educational philosophy of Derby High School is rooted firmly in the belief that academic success is strongly linked to the overall development of the individual,” he thinks. “Our small class sizes and the quality of the teaching here do, of course, contribute significantly to the excellent examination results of our pupils. However, the outstanding quality of our pastoral care, the strong emphasis we place on activities outside the classroom, charitable work, and leadership and personal responsibility, all develop qualities which help our pupils to acquire a range of skills which support their work in the classroom.” While its pupils are certainly accustomed to success, Callaghan insists that Derby High School is not an academic hothouse.

“We emphasise independent thinking and learning in all of our pupils from the youngest upwards,” he says, “so that they appreciate that working more intelligently is more effective than simply working longer hours.”

FoR boyS, DeRby GRaMMaR SChool iS a populaR choice with senior company executives. This small, independent day school now accepts girls in the sixth form and boasts a 100% A-level pass rate.

Bob Betts, the new chairman of Marketing Derby and managing director of clockmakers Smith of Derby, can vouch for the school’s academic achievements. Betts has put his three sons through Derby Grammar School and with the youngest now in the lower sixth, they have yet to drop an A grade in GCSEs and A-levels.

Betts, a governor at the school, explains the reasoning behind their original choice, “My wife and I made the decision to go private on the basis of smaller class sizes and I preferred the sporting aspect of the school and the discipline that I could get from that. It’s worked out very well so far. My eldest son is just graduating from St Andrews, and our middle son is half-way through his degree at Durham University.”

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www.mhp-online.co.uk

Our Metropolitan Development Service provides development and regeneration services to meet the needs of the partner organisations.

Tel: 0115 977 5329

We are proud to be working in partnership with Derby City Council and local community organisations.

Proud to make a difference in DerbyMetropolitan Support Trust provides specialist care and support services to help people live independent lives, including specialist refugee, asylum seeker and new migrant services.

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Tel: 0845 601 5042

Metropolitan Housing Partnership is a unique network of locally focused member organisations working together to provide housing regeneration, community, care and support services.

We offer over 80 years of combined expert knowledge, skills and experience to help improve the lives of people every day.

Metropolitan Home Ownership provides affordable homes for sale and rent for low and moderately paid working households and key workers, who are vital to the development of thriving communities.

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Tel: 0845 850 6030Par t o f Me t ropo l i tan Hous ing Par tne rsh ip

H o m e O w n e r s h i pS u p p o r t T r u s t

Spirita offers housing and related services to single people, families and older people through 11,000 rented general needs, sheltered and extra care homes.

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Tel: 0845 601 5042

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