Lab to host Derby Station Quarter exhibition

Derby City Council has launched a consultation seeking views on planning guidance that could help pave the way for the potential regeneration of an area around Derby’s railway station.

It is looking for feedback on interim planning guidance, which has been drafted for Derby Station Quarter – the area immediately around Derby Midland Station.

If approved, it would guide development and planning decisions in Derby Station Quarter until the adoption of a new Local Plan in 2026.

Ahead of that, the city council is seeking the views of the public on the draft guidance, with a consultation already live on its Let’s Talk Derby website.

The Derby City Lab is now urging people to share their views on the proposals.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “Everybody accepts that the railway station area needs a transformational makeover, both as a gateway to the city for millions of people and as a neighbourhood in its own right.

“We urge people to take this opportunity to influence its future shape.”

In order to gather as many views as possible, Derby City Lab, which is on Level 2 of the Derbion shopping centre, will be hosting an exhibition, from Thursday 21 November to Thursday 12 December.

Officers from the council will also be on hand at the lab, to answer questions about the station plans, at two drop-in sessions to be held on Tuesday 26 November and Tuesday 10 December, from 10am to 4pm.

Adam Rodgers, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Derby City Lab lead, said: “Derby City Lab is delighted to be hosting this exhibition.

“The area around the railway station has a lot of regeneration potential and we hope as many people as possible will drop by the lab to find out more about these exciting proposals – and share their views.”

During its previous incarnation in St James’ Street, the Derby City Lab hosted an exhibition, which gathered feedback on the city council’s City Centre Ambition document.

A key takeaway from that consultation was the need to look more closely at regeneration opportunities around Derby station.

This has been accelerated by Derby winning a national competition to house the headquarters of the new national body, Great British Railways (GBR).

Since then, the city council has been assisting GBR in looking at suitable locations for its new headquarters.

Working with its partner London and Continental Railways, the council has been preparing a masterplan for the Derby Station Quarter.

The draft interim planning guidance for Derby Station Quarter sets out the anticipated ‘direction of travel’ of planning policy for the area, which will assist in promoting it as an investment proposition, highlighting important development opportunities, and creating greater certainty in relation to planning requirements.

The intention is that this draft interim planning guidance, the comments on it and any changes necessary as a result, will be considered by the city council’s cabinet in 2025.

The closing date for responses is 5pm on Monday 13 January.

To take part in the consultation online visit https://letstalk.derby.gov.uk/derby-station-quarter-ipg-consultation.

To find out more about the Derby City Lab, including how to plan your visit, go to https://derbycitylab.com/.