Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, looks back on a busy year which also saw progress on more city centre regeneration plans.

It hardly feels like 12 months since my last Christmas column, but with the trees up and the lights on, it’s time to reflect on a year that has really put Derby on the map.

Bringing people back to our city centre has been a real mission of mine, and our new venues are delivering. In April, Vaillant Live opened as the centrepiece of the Becketwell redevelopment. This was followed by the spectacular reopening of Derby Market Hall in May. 34,000 of you visited on opening day to see this historic gem transformed for the 21st Century. We promised you More than a Market, and that’s what we’ve been continuing to deliver as its offer develops and expands.

In the summer, we rescued a vital community asset to launch the Chapel Street Arts Centre. We also saw the triumphant return of Derby Festé, with 7,000 people filling the Cathedral Quarter with energy and joy.

Our international ties have remained strong. In August, we welcomed a delegation from our twin city, Osnabrück, and it was great for them to be here as we reopened Osnabrück Square. Next year, we’ll be celebrating 50 years of twinning with a programme of events that celebrate our heritage and relationship.

Closer to home, Local Government Reorganisation has been an ongoing piece of work. This has not been an easy process, but our collaboration with District and Borough partners has resulted in final proposals that focus on the best outcomes for our region.

As we look to the future, we’ve laid the groundwork for long-term prosperity in our city. Our proposals for Infinity Park to join the East Midlands Investment Zone promise major investment and thousands of high-quality jobs.

Furthermore, the Chancellor’s November announcement of support for Team Derby recognised how critical our defence, transport and energy industries are to the UK’s future prosperity and national security.

2026 will also see further progress on the Market Place. This year we’ve shared proposals for the space from our development partners and asked for your opinions. In 2026, I hope to see this project take shape as we continue to make our city centre one to be proud of.

Sometimes this year has felt like taking part in the Cyclone challenge on I'm a Celebrity! We've been busy collecting stars to put them in place, things have been thrown at us that have threatened to unbalance us, sometimes a big wave sends you right back to the beginning! However, we've been resilient and got to the finish line in time and with all our stars intact. Now it's time for a rest!