Becketwell has been announced as the home of the new Great British Railways headquarters – A landmark decision set to brings hundreds of high-quality jobs and a key government operation to the heart of the city.
GBR is the new public body responsible for bringing the nation’s railways together under one organisation.
With confirmation of this selection, GBR will become the first occupants of the new 3 Springwell Square office development at Becketwell.
The most significant urban regeneration scheme in Derby for three decades, Becketwell has already delivered the Condor build to rent apartments, a public square, and Vaillant Live. 3 Springwell Square will add approximately 106,000 sq. ft of Grade A office space to this mix on the site of the former Duckworth Square, strengthening the city centre’s offer as a place to work, live and spend time.
The site will accommodate up to 450 GBR staff and be supported by better public transport links and walking routes, delivered in partnership with the Department for Transport, Derby City Council and the East Midlands Combined Authority (EMCCA), and developers St James Securities and Peveril Securities.
To unlock such a scheme, the public sector has a crucial role to play in securing funding. The Council is currently working closely with the EMCCA to determine the best partnership approach to funding the delivery of the building.
The arrival of GBR represents a major opportunity, promising an estimated £151m boost for Derby and the wider region. The move will also diversify and strengthen the local economy by bringing more government jobs to the city, creating new career opportunities, and attracting further investment.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
For too long, people have put up with a railway that often lets them down. When you are trying to get to work, see your family, or get home, you should be able to rely on your train turning up.
Today is another big step forward. Great British Railways will have its home in Derby, a city that has railways in its DNA. This will bring investment and good jobs, giving young people the chance to build their future in the place they call home.
That’s how we are bringing back hope. By creating opportunity and putting the essentials back in public hands so they work for people again.
Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, said:
This is the news we’ve been waiting for. Alongside the Mayor of the East Midlands, MPs and Marketing Derby, we have campaigned for GBR to be in the heart of Derby, and now we can say that Becketwell is its new home.
This is fantastic news for our city centre, which will reap the benefits of hosting a key government operation. More workers in the city will be using our transport, eating in our restaurants, and supporting our amazing local businesses.
Becketwell is one of our flagship regeneration schemes and a shining example of what targeted investment can achieve. Working jointly with our development partners, St James Securities and Peveril Securities, we have already delivered a new public square, high-quality housing, and a state-of-the-art venue in the heart of the city.
With the addition of GBR now confirmed, we reaffirm to investors that Derby is well and truly open for business and we are ready to unlock further development and employment opportunities in the city centre. A busy, attractive, and well-occupied city centre will also draw more students, visitors, helping to create a more vibrant place to live and work.
This has been a four-year journey and, while there are still a few stops to go, the end is now in sight for this chapter. Once the new office is built and GBR are in place, we will be ready to begin an exciting new chapter for the city.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
The biggest shake-up to our railways in a generation is underway. Great British Railways will bring the railway together around one mission - better services for passengers - with Derby at the heart of its future.
I’m delighted Becketwell will become GBR’s new home, building on Derby’s proud rail heritage and bringing jobs, investment and opportunity to the city.
With 600 apprenticeships opening up, we’re investing not just in the railway of tomorrow, but in the people who will build it.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said:
This is fantastic news for Derby. Becketwell is transforming the city centre and Great British Railways choosing to make its home here is a real boost for the city.
Hundreds of people working there will mean more customers for local shops, cafés and restaurants, as well as more people spending time in the city centre. That’s great news for the businesses that make Derby what it is.
I want Derby city centre to be a place where more people come to work, meet friends, shop and enjoy themselves - and where businesses feel confident about investing. Having GBR at Becketwell will bring more people into the city centre and give local businesses more opportunities to benefit.
Paul Morris, Development Director at St James Securities, added:
This is a hugely significant moment for Derby and a tremendous vote of confidence in both the city and the Becketwell development.
From the beginning, we believed 3 Springwell Square offered Great British Railways a unique opportunity – a modern, highly sustainable headquarters building located at the centre of a transformational regeneration scheme in the UK's rail capital.
Derby's rail heritage, skills base and industry expertise are second to none, and we are delighted that Great British Railways has chosen to make its home here. The decision will bring long-term benefits to the city, attract further investment and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
The process of bringing GBR to Derby began in March 2022 with a bid centred on the city’s unmatched rail heritage and its position at the heart of the Europe’s largest rail cluster, employing 11,000 people.
In July, following 42 expressions of interest, the final six shortlisted cities were announced: Birmingham, Crewe, Doncaster, Newcastle, York and Derby.
Derby’s campaign garnered wide-reaching support. 22 regional MPs and international players in the transport industry, and other businesses around the region joined the campaign and publicly backed our bid.
After six weeks of campaigning, Derby waited until March 2023 to receive the long-awaited confirmation that it would be the new home of Great British Railways, securing 22% of the public vote and cementing its reputation as the UK’s rail capital.