Six East Midlands sites named in major push to unlock new homes and regeneration

Credit: Onclusive News

The first six priority areas have been agreed as part of a regional push to unlock thousands of new homes, regenerate town and city centres, and support economic growth across the East Midlands.

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) and Homes England are working with councils and partners to bring forward priority housing and regeneration schemes in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

The work supports Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward’s ambition to help deliver more than 100,000 new homes over the next decade, while creating better-connected, more sustainable places where people can live, work and invest.

The six immediate priorities – highlighted in an update to members of EMCCA’s housing and land committee ahead of their next meeting – are Buxton; Derby city centre and Station Quarter; Infinity Garden Village and the South Derbyshire Growth Zone; Chesterfield town centre and Spire Neighbourhood; Nottingham city centre, including Broad Marsh; and Fairham.

Through a Strategic Place Partnership, EMCCA and Homes England are focusing support on major sites where action on land, funding, planning and infrastructure could help schemes move forward faster.

Mayor Claire said: “Across the East Midlands, we need more good-quality homes and better places where people can live, work and invest. We have an ambition to support more than 100,000 new homes over the next decade, but we know that bringing forward major sites is not always straightforward. Planning, land, infrastructure and funding can all hold schemes back.

“That is why this partnership with Homes England and councils across the region matters. We are focusing our efforts on the places where we can help remove those barriers and get projects moving.

“These six priority areas show the scale and variety of the opportunity in front of us – from town and city centre regeneration to major new communities. With the powers and investment that come with devolution, we have a real opportunity to create more places that people are proud to call home.”

The six priority areas are:

• Buxton: EMCCA and Homes England are exploring how to support redevelopment of the former Springs Shopping Centre, working with High Peak Borough Council and its selected development partner on potential funding routes;
• Derby city centre and Station Quarter: Work is under way with Derby City Council, Network Rail and Platform 4 on a masterplan for Derby Station and improvements to the surrounding public realm. EMCCA has also received early interest in Brownfield Housing Fund support for city centre sites;
• Infinity Garden Village and South Derbyshire Growth Zone: Partners are working to speed up delivery at this strategic growth location, with enabling infrastructure being brought forward and a start on site currently scheduled for spring 2027;
• Chesterfield town centre and Spire Neighbourhood: Chesterfield Borough Council is looking for a development partner for Spire Neighbourhood and has begun early discussions with potential developers. EMCCA has also received an expression of interest for Brownfield Housing Fund support for Chesterfield Waterside;
• Nottingham city centre, including Broad Marsh: Homes England, Nottingham City Council and EMCCA have signed an agreement to bring forward redevelopment of the former Broad Marsh shopping centre. Homes England has acquired the site, EMCCA is funding asbestos removal and demolition work now taking place, and early market engagement has shown positive interest from potential development partners;
• Fairham: Fairham is a 13,000-home sustainable urban extension south of Nottingham, being delivered by Homes England and partner landowners. Progress includes outline consent for 3,000 homes, new local facilities and green space, most on-site highway infrastructure completed, plans submitted for a primary school due to open in 2028, and a business park about 50 per cent complete and supporting more than 1,200 jobs.

The six priorities are the schemes currently considered to have the strongest potential to move forward, with work continuing on a wider pipeline of future housing and regeneration opportunities.

EMCCA and Homes England will continue working with councils, developers and other partners to address barriers to delivery and bring forward more homes, regeneration and investment across the region.