Derby City Council is set to formally appoint Vinci UK Developments and Ion Developments as their city centre strategic development partners, allowing plans for the redevelopment of Derby’s Market Place to progress.

A report which will be presented to the Cabinet on Wednesday 8 April recommends that the Council enter into contracts with the development partners to transform key regeneration sites across the city centre, including the Market Place and former Assembly Rooms, based on their ability to develop and deliver robust plans for the site.

Both firms have extensive experience in large-scale regeneration in collaboration with local authorities. By bringing a private sector development partner on board, Derby could benefit from their expertise, capacity and investment to deliver the Council’s city centre ambitions. The report also asks the Cabinet to approve the next steps for the Market Place site.

Since they were selected as preferred development partners in 2024, the developers have been developing a masterplan, business case and planning application for the site, working closely with the Council and consulting with members of the public and key stakeholders to shape the proposals.

The planning application will be considered by the Council’s Planning Control Committee later this spring.

Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy said:

Developing an exciting and deliverable replacement for the Assembly Rooms has been a long time coming and we know how frustrating this journey has been for residents – I have shared this frustration and welcome the opportunity to enter into a contract with our preferred development partners. This is a huge milestone, showing our confidence in Vinci UK Developments and Ion Developments and their ability to transform the Market Place.

This is an incredibly important site for Derby and it’s critical that we replace the Assembly Rooms with something that will last for generations and meet the needs of our residents. We’re now in a very exciting place, and residents can expect to see tangible progress start to happen.

Earlier this year, the Planning Control Committee approved clarifications to the planning conditions for the demolition of the Assembly Rooms. Demolition of the building will begin once these conditions have been satisfied and the site has been prepared, with construction to follow afterwards.

Preparing the site for demolition, disconnecting utilities and creating a secure and safe working environment will take a number of weeks before the building can start to come down. Once work starts on the demolition, it is expected to take around 12 months to complete.

Steve Parry on behalf of VINCI UK Developments & ION Development commented:

With the co-operation of the Council and stakeholders we have reached a significant milestone in delivering this exciting project. We are looking forward to progressing through the various stages of the development process, including securing planning consent which will enable the demolition of Assembly Rooms and multi-storey car park, to be implemented.

The proposed mix of uses will transform this area of the City, enhancing Derby’s commercial, cultural and tourism offer.

The report also recommends that the Cabinet approve the masterplan for the site. Developed over the past few years, in consultation with residents, local organisations and key stakeholders, the masterplan includes a business plan for the site which includes Derby MADE – a multi-use building on the site of the former Assembly Rooms, featuring a music venue, cultural / exhibition space, a young people and family library, and dedicated flexible working and meeting areas. It also features proposals for Derby HOTEL, a full-service, four-star hotel, and Derby WORKS, new high-quality Grade A office space.

The full Cabinet report is available to view on the Council’s website, and members of the public can watch the meeting on the Council’s YouTube channel. Further information about the plans for the site can be found on the Market Place redevelopment website.