Derby Becketwell regeneration moves forward

The vacant Duckworth Square in Derby city centre. Image by LDRS.

Bringing a long empty and “crucial” Derby city centre site back to life has moved a step closer.

Derby City Council has progressed its next plans to regenerate the whole of the Becketwell area.

It has seen huge change in recent years with new apartments being built, new public open space and the construction of the £145 million Vaillant Live performance venue.

Now leaders are eyeing up the next stage – to build new office space on Duckworth Square to attract firms and investors to the city centre.

Duckworth Square has been dubbed Derby’s “biggest eyesore” over the years. It used to be a thriving shopping centre and a busy part of the city centre – but for decades that has not been the case.

The Labour-led council is sprucing up plans to bring the area back to life.

Last month it was announced that Becketwell was one of two locations to be shortlisted to become the new headquarters of Great British Railways (GBR).

The body will have its main offices in Derby and will own and manage the rail and set most fares and timetables.

Midland House, opposite Derby Railway Station, is the other shortlisted contender location. A final decision is expected later this year.

Derby City Council has stepped forward with its plan to breathe new life into Duckworth Square in recent days.

The site is being actively marketed by council partner St James Securities to commercially interested businesses and organisations.

The council has now approved plans to enter into an underwriting financial agreement with the property development firm to help undertake initial design and investigation works.

At a meeting council leader Nadine Peatfield said the authority was “pushing” for the area to become the new home of GBR and said approving the agreement was a “really good step forward”.

Councillor Peatfield said: “This is a really crucial site for the city. We’ve been discussing it in our first ‘Team Derby’ meeting because we are hoping, well, we are pushing for it to be the site of GBR headquarters.

“But beyond that, we desperately need grade A office space in the city to realise our ambitions for the city.

“There’s no argument from me that this is a really good step forward. And yet again we’re showing our progression but also our full support for this site.”