Local Plan for Derby (LPD) evidence base

Evidence base

A thorough set of documents is being put together to support the Local Plan for Derby. Important studies are in the sections below, and the full evidence base for the Adopted Derby City Local Plan is on the Local Plan Part 1 Examination Library page.

New evidence to support the upcoming Local Plan will be added to this page as it is finished.

Housing

Strategic Housing and Land Availability Assessment

An update of the SHLAA is being worked on and will be posted on this page soon.

Five Year Housing Supply

The Council's current Five Year Supply is set out in these documents: 

• Five Year Housing Supply Statement
• Five Year Housing Supply Contributing Sites

Local Housing Needs Assessment

The following document assesses the need for the number and types of housing within Derby City and South Derbyshire:

• Local Housing Needs Assessment Final Report 2023

Derby Housing Market Area - Growth Options Study

The Growth Options Study, completed in 2021 and approved by the Derby HMA Joint Advisory Board, looks at possible areas for expanding towns and villages, as well as creating new settlements, up to 2050. However, it does not specify exact locations for development or the amount of growth each area can handle. These details will be decided through future planning processes.

Sustainability Appraisal

The three Housing Market Area authorities have created a Sustainability Appraisal. This appraisal looks at different options for housing growth outside the City, considering various sizes and locations for development.

• Derby HMA Sustainability Appraisal of Housing Options
• Derby HMA Sustainability Appraisal of Housing Options Appendix A

Residential Viability Scoping Report

This is a high level assessment of the viability of different residential development types in different geographic locations of the city and considering a range of policy considerations and constraints.

• Residential Viability Scoping Report - April 2025

Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Show People

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) require Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to assess the future housing needs of Gypsies, Travellers, and Travelling Show People. These assessments are called Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessments (GTAAs). They help create planning policies for Gypsies and Travellers by identifying how many pitches and what types of sites are needed in the City over the next few years.

Following the rules of the NPPF and the Localism Act 2011, a GTAA covering Derby, Derbyshire and East Staffordshire was made in June 2015. Another GTAA covering Derby, Derbyshire, the Peak District National Park and East Staffordshire was published in July 2023.

Retail and Centres Study

Nexus Planning was hired to look at the future needs for retail and leisure in Derby and the wider Derby Urban Area (DUA) up to 2028 and more broadly to 2043.

The study gives a detailed look at different shopping areas in Derby, including the City Centre, District centres, and some Neighbourhood Centres. It talks about the health of these areas and gives ideas for improvements. These include ways to make the areas function better, improve the environment, and suggestions to improve accessibility and road infrastructure.

The study is set out in:

• Derby Retail and Centres Study Executive Summary
• Derby Retail and Centres Study Main Report
• Appendix 1 Plan of Study Area and Zones
• Appendix 2 Household Survey Results
• Appendix 3 Aspinall Verdi Market Report
• Appendix 4 In-Street Survey Results
• Appendix5 In-Street Survey Location Plan
• Appendix 6 City Centre Health check
• Appendix 7 District Centre Health checks
• Appendix 8 Neighbourhood Centres Health checks
• Appendix 9 Quantitative Assessment Tables
• Appendix 10 City Centre Convenience Goods Catchment
• Appendix 11 City Centre Comparison Goods Catchment
• Appendix 12 Site Assessment Proformas
• Appendix 13 Distribution of Principal Foodstores
• Appendix 14 Derby Retail Transport Study Infrastructure Accessibility Assessment
• Appendix 15 Zone 1 Derby City Centre
• Appendix 15 Zone 2 Littleover
• Appendix 15 Zone 3 Normanton Road
• Appendix 15 Zone 4 Mickleover
• Appendix 15 Zone 5 Allenton
• Appendix 15 Zone 6 Sinfin
• Appendix 15 Zone 7 Chaddesden
• Appendix 15 Zone 8 Spondon
• Appendix 15 Zone 9 Alvaston
• Appendix 15 Zone 10 Oakwood
• Appendix 15 Zone 11 Allestree
• Appendix 15 Zone 12 Chellaston
• Appendix 15 Zone 13 Mackworth
• Appendix 16 Proposed Boundary Revisions

Green Belt and Green Wedges

Green Belt

Derby’s administrative boundary contains Green Belt land in the north and east, forming part of the wider Nottingham-Derby Green Belt. The Council commissioned LUC to assess how this land contributes to the five nationally defined Green Belt purposes. The assessment has applied a methodology that reflects the National Planning Policy Framework (December 2024) and the Planning Practice Guidance on identifying grey belt (February 2025).

• Derby Green Belt Assessment - Assessment of Parcels and Sites - Final Report - September 2025

Green Wedge

There are 13 Green Wedges within the administrative area of Derby. The Council commissioned LUC to assess the functionality of the wedges and the impact of potentially releasing land for built development in and around them in the future. The 2025 review replaces the 2012 Green Wedge Review which was prepared to inform the adopted Local Plan (2017).

• Part 1 - Derby Green Wedge Review - Final Report - September 2025
• Part 2 - Derby Green Wedge Review - Final Report - September 2025

Water and flooding

The Water Cycle Study gave Derby City Council, Amber Valley Borough Council, and South Derbyshire District Council a detailed look at water supply, wastewater, sewerage treatment, and water quality.

The Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment showed how flooding affects the city.

The Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment looks more closely at flooding issues on three sites in Derby.

More information is available in the:

• Water cycle study
• Water cycle study part 2 2010
• Water cycle study Appendices 2010
• Derby city strategic flood risk assessment Level 1
• AppA data sources
• AppB sequential test guidance
• AppC cumulative impact assessment
• Flood Risk Assessment for Derby Level 2 report
• SFRA appendix D1-D11

Employment

The following documents assess the supply, need and demand for employment land and premises within Derby City and South Derbyshire:

• Derby and South Derbyshire ELR - Executive Summary
• Derby and South Derbyshire ELR - Main Report
• Derby and South Derbyshire ELR - Appendices

Green infrastructure

Open Space Study

The Open Space Study provides a snapshot of the provision of various types of open space in Derby, looking at quality, quantity and accessibility. It highlights where there are deficiencies and where there is a surplus and concludes by suggesting standards which the Council could implement through the Local Plan.

Derby Playing Pitch Strategy

The Playing Pitch Strategy was published after the adoption of the Part 1 Local Plan and focuses on the provision of outdoor sports facilities in Derby and South Derbyshire District Council. It is made up of the:

• Derby PPS - Strategy Action Plan

The Derby Growth Zone Report made recommendations for outdoor sports provision along the Southern Derby Growth Zone.‌

Climate Change

The Spatial Energy Study for Derbyshire has been produced to help understand current energy usage, future usage scenarios, and the potential opportunities for the delivery of renewable energy technologies across Derbyshire. The Study will form part of the Council’s evidence base for the next Local Plan.

It is important to stress that the Renewable Energy Study is a high-level study and takes account of several constraints such as the natural environment, heritage designations and climatic conditions to identify broad areas which are less constrained for each type of renewable technology. It does not mean that planning permission will be given automatically in less constrained areas.

Transport

We will be commissioning transport work to support the new plan.

Education

We will look at how housing growth affects school places and will share the relevant papers when ready.

City Centre

Tall Buildings Study

The Tall Buildings Study looks at tall buildings in general and specifically in Derby. The study uses an urban design approach to make recommendations on how to best use the height and location of future buildings. The goal is to support regeneration and economic development while respecting the city's heritage and image.

• Contents
• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1 - Introduction

Part 1: Baseline

• Chapter 2 - Planning Policy Context
• Chapter 3 - Theoretical Framework for Tall Buildings
• Chapter 4 - Spatial Overview
• Chapter 5 - Building Heights
• Chapter 6 - Heritage, Views and Sensitivity

P‌art 2: Recommendations

• Chapter 7 - Tall Building Objectives
• Chapter 8 - Sifting Process
• Chapter 9 - Building Height Recommendations
• Chapter 10 - Design Criteria and Principles

Appendices

• Appendix 1 - Heritage Assessment
• Appendix 2 - 3D Views Testing

A City Skyline and Significant Views Study was carried out to inform the production of the Tall Buildings Study.

Towards a new vision for Derby City Centre – Ambition (2022)

In 2021 and 2022, we talked with stakeholders to understand the issues facing the city centre and explore ideas and opportunities to transform it.

In Summer 2022, we published a document called 'Ambition.' This document was the first step in developing our vision. It outlined the issues we think need to be addressed and suggested ideas and interventions to tackle them. The document covered a range of themes.

More information about the Ambition document can be found on the Council’s consultation portal, Let’s Talk Derby.

City Centre design guide

The feedback we received on the City Centre Ambition document (2022) showed that people want new developments to be of high quality to improve the overall look of the city centre. In response, we hired consultants to create a Design Guide for the city centre. This guide provides clear design principles to ensure that as the city centre changes, it remains inclusive, fits its surroundings, and prioritises sustainability.

More information about the City Centre Design Guide can be found on the Council’s consultation portal, Let’s Talk Derby.

Other projects within the City Centre can be found under Regeneration on the Derby City Council homepage.

Consultation

At key stages in preparing the Local Plan for Derby, we will conduct public consultations as outlined in our Statement of Community Involvement.

Our Let’s Talk Derby page has information on past consultations and will also have details on future consultations.

Local plan consultation list

If you want to stay updated on the new local plan's progress and are not already on our consultation list, email planningpolicy@derby.gov.uk.

Statement of Common Ground

The three Housing Market Area (HMA) authorities have published a series of statements of common ground regarding plan making and meeting housing needs across the HMA.

• Statement of Common Ground - February 2026
• Statement of Common Ground - December 2024
• Statement of Common Ground - March 2020