“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,” said Councillor Nadine Peatfield, reflecting the community’s anticipation for the Market Place redevelopment.

Derby City Council has officially appointed Vinci UK Developments and Ion Developments as development partners for the long-awaited project. This decision comes after years of planning, with the developers having worked on a masterplan, business case, and planning application since being selected as preferred partners in 2024.

The council is expected to consider the planning application for the redevelopment at its Planning Control Committee later this spring. The demolition of the Assembly Rooms is projected to take around 12 months to complete once initiated.

In a separate incident, a man was arrested in Derby after a car struck multiple pedestrians, leaving some seriously injured. “Although we know this will be alarming, we would like to reassure people that we do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the public,” stated Derbyshire police.

Catherine Atkinson, a local representative, expressed her concern, saying, “My thoughts are with those injured and I’m grateful to our emergency services.” This incident has raised safety concerns in the community, particularly with a section of Friar Gate expected to remain closed for some time.