The Derriford District Centre is a new retail and leisure hub under development in Plymouth, Devon, UK.
ADC Kimberley, an infrastructure development firm, was appointed by the Plymouth City Council through a competitive tender in 2019 to lead the development.
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The planning consent for the project was granted in July 2022. Construction on the food-led retail centre commenced in June 2023 and is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2024.
The project’s construction phase is expected to generate up to 120 jobs. It is projected to create 102 permanent positions while preserving an additional 57 jobs, upon completion.
The retail centre will address the lack of food shopping options in northern Plymouth, as well as offer retail services to residents, employees, students and visitors in the area. Furthermore, it is anticipated to act as a driver for the broader revitalisation and growth of the Derriford area.
Location of Derriford District Centre
The Derriford District Centre is being developed within the Derriford Commercial Centre strategically positioned at the heart of north Plymouth. The Derriford Commercial Centre is a retail-led mixed-use development that will include offices, education facilities, residential components and medical / health-related facilities.
The retail centre is being developed on the former Seaton Barracks Parade Ground site owned by Plymouth City Council.
The site is one of the last undeveloped plots within Plymouth International Medical & Technology Park. It was chosen as the preferred location for the retail centre in the Joint Local Plan adopted in March 2019 by the Plymouth City Council.
The site can be easily accessed through public transport and can be reached by bicycle or on foot with the planned on-site enhancements.
Derriford District Centre details
The Derriford District Centre will span an area of 57,200ft² (5,314m²). It will transform the Seaton Barracks Parade Ground site into six retail units across two buildings.
The retail centre will include a 1,900ft² Aldi supermarket, and a 20,000ft² Marks and Spencer (M&S) Food Hall, which will be double the size of their existing store across Tavistock Road.
Pure Gym, an operator of gyms in the UK, will open a new 12,000ft² gym at the retail centre. In addition, Pets Corner, a local pet shop, will also open its outlet at the mall.
The retail centre will also include a Costa drive-through, Oggy Oggy Pasty shop and Gridserve, a sustainable energy solutions provider.
It will also comprise an array of ancillary commercial amenities, including 12 new electric vehicle charging points.
Infrastructure details of Derriford District Centre
The two buildings at the retail centre will be divided by a new north-south public highway link road that integrates with the current road network. The new road will enable a dedicated bus connection from the Tavistock Road/William Prance Road junction with Derriford Hospital via the Derriford Business Park.
The centre will also introduce vital new infrastructure to facilitate further development in the area including a new access road and gateway landscaping. In addition, it will include a new pedestrian and cycling route known as the Seaton Arc, which will offer a connection from the hospital entrance and public transport interchange to the junction of Morlaix Drive with Brest Road.
The centre’s development aims to enhance biodiversity by achieving a net gain on-site, which will be augmented by additional off-site mitigation strategies.
Financing details
In October 2021, the Plymouth City Council approved a forward funding of £17.86m ($22.6m) through the Property and Regeneration Fund to develop the retail centre.
An additional funding of £1.04m ($1.28m) was approved by the council in May 2023 to close a financing gap faced by the project. The total funding by the council in the project is £18.9m ($23.43m).
Contractors involved
Stace, a construction and property consultancy based in the UK, was tasked with providing cost management services for the project.
Firstplan, a planning consultancy, was responsible for preparing and submitting the planning application for the Derriford District Centre. The company also prepared the retail and town centre policy analysis to bolster the application.
The consultant team included several local companies, including Hoare Lea and Airey & Coles.
Devon Contractors was appointed as the construction contractor for the project.
DH Earthworks, a groundworks business; LTC Scaffolding, a specialist scaffolding contractor; Plym Bricklaying & Stonemasonry Contractors, a masonry contractor; Morgans of Usk, a steel building company; and Dudley’s Aluminium, an aluminium fabricator; are some of the contractors involved in the project.
