Derby City Council has appointed planning and urban design firm Tibbalds to develop a strategic masterplan for Riverside North, a residential-led mixed-use development site in the city.
The site, between Holmes Bridge and Causey Bridge, and bounded by the inner ring road and the Derwent, has been unlocked for regeneration by the Our City, Our River (OCOR) flood defence works.
The new neighbourhood would sit close to some of Derby’s historic landmarks, including the Cathedral and Museum of Making, as well as the wider retail and leisure facilities in the city centre. The site also sits adjacent to the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Regeneration of the site is one of the priorities of the Council Plan 2025-28, which aims to deliver new homes on brownfield sites in the city centre. Tibbald’s masterplan will echo the proposed residential allocations set out in the new Local Plan for Derby, and support potential future development.
The proposals will respect the area’s history and character while providing a mix of new homes, shops, businesses and other uses. The aim is to create attractive and welcoming neighbourhoods that fit into the surrounding area and can adapt to the needs of the community in the future.
The masterplan will build on the momentum of other regeneration projects across the city centre, as well as the ongoing construction of Phase 2 of OCOR project within the site boundary. The new flood defences will help protect the area from flooding, making previously flood-prone land suitable for development and creating new green space alongside the river.
Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council, said:
We are always looking at opportunities to champion growth in Derby and create an attractive city that people want to live and work in. Transforming brownfield land is a key part of that ambition.
We’ve seen the city centre’s residential market continue to grow - with new developments like The Condor at Becketwell, and Castleward Urban Village – and Riverside North can act as a catalyst for further growth and investment.
Ketki Mudholkar, Associate, at Tibbalds said:
Based on its location alone, this is an ideal place to live: already well-connected to the city centre, with good transport links, direct access to the river and proximity to Derby Cathedral, the historic city core and World Heritage Site. Our masterplan will address the challenge of regenerating this highly constrained setting, establishing the right mix and scale of housing, amenities and public spaces to create an attractive, successful neighbourhood– and deliver wider benefits for the city centre.