Derby guidebook

  pic: Darley Mills
Change is nothing new to Derby. It's a city that's always moved with the times. Now it's on the move again…into the 21st century!

The entire face of the city is changing.  A whole new "cityscape" is taking shape, the result of nearly two billion pounds being ploughed into it.

The huge new Westfield shopping centre has opened; the space age new hospital is coming on; and a riverside rebuilding scheme, featuring a new bus station, 120 room hotel, hundreds of apartments and even a casino, is under way.

Construction is underway everywhere at a rapid pace. House building had been quiet since the 90s when the last two big private estates were finished.

Only 12,000 new homes have been built over the last fifteen years...now the council wants nearly 700 new homes EVERY year for the next 20 years. Scores of new apartments are springing up in the city centre alone!

Add all of that together and you have a city that's moving faster than the hi-speed inter city train that had its roots here.

Everywhere in Derby is a total mix of old and new: Victorian built traditional shops rub shoulders with modern glass and concrete designs; railway terraces share the same street as ultra modern new town houses.

  pic: Derby riverside apartments
Derby delivers the best of both worlds – contemporary and vibrant yet keeping its traditions and history.

The old Cathedral - Britain's smallest - sits comfortably with the 150 shops of the huge new Westfield shopping centre, the biggest indoor retail development in a UK city centre, but the mix is not incongruous.

That totally sums up Derby. Moving forward...but not forgetting the past.

The city was the home of the industrial revolution. It has the oldest factory in Britain, the first powered silk mill and the first public park.

When the British Rail train making works disappeared, the old yards became a huge new retail park, now home to Derby County football club and Egg, the internet bankers. Train making was replaced with car making when Toyota moved in.

As you can see, change is something Derby takes in its stride.

So, apart from its 21st century facelift, what else does the city have going for it?

Well, there's the large University, the stacks of great parks, the best aircraft engine maker in the world, Rolls Royce, six sports centres, lots of golf clubs, Crown Derby China...and it's the Real Ale Capital of Britain.

It sits at the very heart of the country, close to the M1 and East Midlands airport, so it's perfect for travelling or commuting.  It's the ghost capital of Britain with more than 1,000 sightings - including a pair of floating trousers.

It has the safest city centre car park in the world...and Derby gave football Brian Clough.  Even Bonnie Prince Charlie gave up his march south here in 1745, so he must have liked the place.

Property in Derby

Nearly seven out of ten people own their own home here, and privately rented accommodation is in short supply - only 7,400 units of private rented accommodation at the last count, in a city of 240,000 people.

The council wants to see 200 new units of "affordable" rented accommodation created every year for the next five years.

The city is growing by about 1,200 extra people a year, through people moving in, youngsters growing up and staying, and people living longer.

The council says that of the 95,000 dwellings, 82 per cent are houses, 10 per cent are bungalows, six per cent are flats, with the rest made up of bedsits and maisonettes.

Of the houses, nearly half are semis, a quarter are terraced, and a fifth are detached, and nearly three quarters have three bedrooms or more.

The best way to describe Derby is like looking at a clock face.

1. At 12 o'clock is the little village of Breadsall, and next to it at 1 o'clock is the huge Oakwood private housing estate

  pic: Detached houses in Oakwood
Where is it?  Breadsall is to the north of the city, on the A61, leading to the A38 and M1 motorway, and Oakwood sits at about ten past one.

What's there? Breadsall is your typical quaint, chocolate box olde worlde village, famous for Breadsall Priory hotel and golf club, a favourite of the England football team.

The houses, all private, range from little cottages and semis to exclusive deluxe mansions...quite a contrast to its neighbour, the huge Oakwood estate. 

Thousands of homes were built at Oakwood in the 1980s and 90s, as the land was swamped with new housing. Marketing types described it as "countryside living in the city".

There's everything here, from one bed flats to five bed detached houses, and the estate has a little row of shops, a pub and a sports hall.

Buyers: Breadsall is for people with a few bob in their pocket who like quiet village living. Oakwood ranges from new couples, investing in their first flat, right up to big families.

Pros: Breadsall: Beautiful little sleepy village which is easy to walk around, and is located on the edge of the city. Some stunning houses.

Oakwood: With so much to choose from, it offers everything to everyone, from affordable smaller houses to large detached homes.

Cons: Breadsall: Very quiet and a distance from the facilities in the city. Pricey area, really for people who want an upmarket, sedate life.

Oakwood: Big rambling estate with lots of cul-de-sacs. The housing seem to go and on and on. Could do with a bigger shopping centre to make it feel like a community. Fair distance out of town so you need a car to get around.

2. At 2 o'clock it's Chaddesden

  pic: Chaddesden Park Rd, Chaddesden
Where is it? On the top right hand corner of town, just off the A52 Nottingham Road, bordered by the A61.

What's there? Chad, as the locals call it, is one of the biggest and more established parts of the city. Building started in the 1930s. Mostly semis, with a few smaller council estates thrown in, but quite a few luxury four and five bed houses.

Next to it is Derwent Heights, a small private housing estate; the "heights" is a giveaway...it has great views over the city.

Buyers: Families. Mostly well established large houses. Not much for first-time buyers, more for people moving up the housing chain.

Pros: Good place to live. Self contained and well established. It has a good shopping mall featuring a couple of supermarkets, takeaways, various shops, two public houses and a 29 bedroom hotel.

Cons: It's a real mixed area in prices and quality of houses, from some of the cheapest in the city to the most expensive. Exclusive streets rub shoulders with terraced streets - but the mix is not to some people's liking.

3. Three o'clock is Spondon

  pic: Brockley Street, Spondon
Where is it? Sits on the east of the city on the A52 Brian Clough Way to Nottingham. The road cuts the village in two, with the main shopping centre in the northern part.

What's there? Basically a little self contained village, on the edge of the city, with lots of countryside around, offering a total mix of everything from flats, bungalows and terraced streets to big deluxe homes. Feels like a little town in itself.

Buyers: People who want to be close to the city and all its amenities, but also want the feel of friendly, community life.

Pros: Small community where everyone knows everyone else. Good shopping centre with quite a few shops, from bookies to DIY store.

Located in between Derby and Nottingham with good commuting in either direction. Also on the edge of the city, so close to the countryside and good for walking and leisure.

Cons: A distance out of town. There's an excellent bus service into the city every five minutes, but you really a car to get anywhere else.

Parking can be a pain if you live in a terraced street...and the road into the city can be very congested during rush hour.

4. At 4 o'clock it's Alvaston, and at 5 o'clock you have Allenton and Chellaston

  pic: Ferncroft Walk, Chellaston
Where is it?  Three districts set about five miles from the city centre on the south east heading towards East Midlands airport.

The main road through Chellaston is Derby Road A514, which becomes Swarkestone Road at the crossroads with High Street.

What's there? Chellaston: Is a complete but popular mix. It was just terraced and semis, but building has really taken off with new houses springing up everywhere, including lots being built to the west, close to the route of the disused and in-filled Derby Canal.

Something for everyone and every pocket. It now contains every property type from terraces and flats to big deluxe houses.

Alvaston: Mainly all private houses, ranging from semis to some big detached properties.  Several streets of terraced Victorian housing, large Edwardian detached villas stringing out from the village centre, 1930s semi-detached homes, and a large expanse of post-Second World War council housing.

It's a maze of 1970s-1980s built cul-de-sacs and footpaths, leading to council and privately built homes. Pride Park, the huge new retail and business park and home of Derby Football Club and dozens of other companies, is just a few minutes walk away.

Allenton: Next door Allenton is much smaller, with rows of terraced houses, but the majority is pre-war semis and bungalows.

Buyers: These are sought-after areas for up-and-coming couples and families. Nice areas to live in with good, reasonably priced housing.

Pros: All pleasant areas to live in. Close enough to walk into the city centre but there are also good bus services.

Alvaston has its own shopping centre and feels like a village. Chellaston has a small shopping centre with two small supermarkets, a Chinese (which used to be a petrol station), six pubs...and a great summer carnival.

Cons: Despite its few shops, Chellaston is short of facilities for its size; Allenton is beginning to look old and could do with some TLC and a facelift; and Alvaston suffers a bit from being too close to Allenton.

5. Six o'clock: Normanton and Sinfin

  pic: Detached house in Sinfin
Where is it? On the edge of the city centre stretching southwards towards Burton.

What's there? Normanton: Lots and lots of terraced houses, some converted  into flats and bedsits, some intact.  Big rental area.

Sinfin: Sinfin has two parts, the old council parts and the new little estates, with loads of building going on in the newer areas, particularly starter homes and apartments.  Close to the Rolls Royce factory.

Buyers: People on a budget; you get a lot for your money.

Pros: Normanton: Decent houses at the right price. Probably the cheapest houses in the city.

Great multi-cultural society. Good, one street shopping centre, which offers everything from exotic foods to great restaurants to jewellery shops.

Sinfin: Good, affordable housing.  Close to the Rolls Royce factory so popular with its workers.  Also close to Forresters leisure and retail park with a supermarket, cinema and leisure facilities.

Cons: Normanton: It's very crowded but if you don't mind back to back living, it's a good place to be.

Sinfin: Council houses could do with a facelift which would breathe life into the whole area.

6. At seven o'clock is Littleover

  pic: New build in Littleover
Where is it? Littleover is a large suburb next to Normanton, about three miles south west of Derby city centre.

What's there? Mostly all privately owned semis built 60 to 70 years ago, but with some large detached exclusive areas in between.

Sought-after areas inhabited by managers, professionals and families. All three districts have little shopping centres.

Littleover has a village centre with some good facilities and is sought-after by families because of the Littleover Community School, one of the top 130 secondary schools in the country.

Toyota's car factory in Burnaston can clearly be seen from Littleover.

Buyers: Mostly families moving up the ladder who want bigger houses in well-established places, or want to be in the community school catchment area. They also attract managers and professionals.

Pros: Sought-after areas with mostly large, affordable family homes. Good community spirit with lots going on, good local day-to-day facilities.

Cons: Because they're sought-after districts, houses here attract a premium. Littleover suffers a little from a shortage of facilities.

7. Heatherton lies at 8 o'clock

  pic: Callow Hill Way, Heatherton
Where is it? On the south western side of town, just off Pastures Hill at the most southern part of Littleover.  It's close to the A38, sitting on the A5250 and only three miles from the city centre.

What's there? A big, modern housing estate with affordable town houses to  Detached properties.

Built in the 1990s, it's a typical modern build, with another big surge of new housing built recently, including flats in Rykneld Road. There is also a council estate nearby.

There is a small shopping arcade, including little supermarket, day nursery, chemists, doctors, pub, medical centre, and Indian restaurant.

Rumours abound that Heatherton 2 is about to be approved, with lots of usable fields close at hand ready for building.

Buyers: Young first-time buyers and families who want modern homes.

Pros: Brand new houses with all the mod cons, in good school catchment area. Bus service into town every fifteen minutes.

Cons: Few facilities for the size of the estate. Rumours of big housing expansion.

8. Mickleover lies at 9 o'clock

  pic: Semis in Mickleover
Where is it? Mickleover, the most westerly village of the city, is located along Uttoxeter Road (B5020).

What's there? As with Littleover, it's mostly all privately owned semis built 60 to 70 years ago, but with some large detached exclusive areas in between.

Sought-after areas inhabited by managers, professionals and families. All three districts have little shopping centres.

Mickleover has a few shops, and is dominated by the Silverhill estate which was built in the late 60s and 70s, then the biggest housing estate in Northern Europe, and still very popular with families. There's lots of new building going on in little pockets.

Although described as a village, Mickleover is now one of the largest suburbs in Derby and is still expanding due to ongoing housing developments. House prices in parts of Mickleover are among the highest in Derby.

Buyers: Mostly families moving up the ladder who want bigger houses in well-established places, or want to be in the community school catchment area. They also attract managers and professionals.

Pros: Sought-after areas with mostly large, affordable family homes. Good community spirit with lots going on, good local day-to-day facilities.

Cons: Because they're sought-after districts, houses here attract a premium. Littleover suffers a little from a shortage of facilities.

8. Mackworth is at 10 o'clock

  pic: Hyde Park Rd, Mackworth
Where is it? Large former council estate of about 3,000 homes on the edge of town, across the A38.

Built during the 1950s, it was one of the largest housing estates to be built in the city. Mackworth's most noticeable landmark is a large water tower owned by Severn Trent and can be seen from much of the estate.

The estate is also home to Derby College on Prince Charles Avenue. Many roads are named after places in London including Knightsbridge, Wembley Gardens, Bayswater Close and Marylebone Crescent, giving it the nickname "Little London".

The majority of homes on the estate are now owner-occupied, so most have been well maintained with attractive gardens. There's also plenty of big areas of green open space, as well as decent amenities and facilities.

What's there? Mostly post-war council house semis. Smattering of terraced and some very upmarket big detached houses.

Buyers: People moved in when it was built in the fifties and have stayed in the district.  Most new buyers are the children and children's children of the original settlers.

Pros: Self contained estate with nice little row of shops and a school. There are a few pubs on the estate, so people tend to stay local on the estate. Residents here have grown up with each other.

Cons: Although it's possible to walk into the city centre, people feel cut off by the A38. Biggest residents' gripe is the bus service, which they say leaves a lot to be desired.  You really need a car to get into the centre.

9. At 10 and 11 o'clock are Allestree and Darley

  pic: The Square, Darley Abbey
Where is it? Allestree is the most northern ward of the city, about two miles from the centre on the A6, between Mackworth and Darley Abbey, and home to the main campus of Derby University.

Darley is slightly further on.

What's there? The most sought-after parts of the city. All privately owned, with a good property mix ranging from big terraced, through pleasant rows of semis, to huge deluxe mansions.

Buyers: People who don't mind paying a premium. More expensive than the rest of the city. People like living in these postcodes, and they are occupied mostly by managers and professional classes.

Pros: Allestree: According to estate agents, this is the most desirable part of town. A few terraced streets, but predominately lots of large, good-looking semis and some stunning big detached houses.

Built between the 1930s and the 60s, little estates have tended to merge together into  one big estate. Has its own well stocked shopping centre, so is self-contained, but you can walk into the city centre.

At last count, there were about 13,000 people living in Allestree. It has two parks, Allestree with an 18 hole golf course and an angling lake, and Markeaton, the most used park in Derby.

Darley: Pretty, olde world part of the city. A real property mix from terraces and three storey town houses to stunning homes on the edge of the river. It's the older part of town and still retains a village feel.

Attracts a premium because of its prettiness and riverside location.

Cons: Allestree: It's a big area and can feel like living on a large estate at times. 

Darley: Expensive and parking can be a nightmare if you have to leave the car outside your house.

Daley attracts lots of visitors in the summer to relax by the river and to enjoy the riverside walks, so it can become busy.

The area was flooded many years ago, so there's always the concern that it could happen again.

Living Here

Transport:

Trains: Derby has its own mainline station with regular services north and south,  and cross country trains.

Buses: Big bus station with excellent services throughout the city and neighbouring towns.

Road: Sits on the A38 north to south, with the M1 and the cross country A50 minutes away. Perfect for travelling in every direction.

Air: East Midlands international airport (EMA) is just thirteen miles away.

Shopping:

  pic: Shopping centre, Allestree
The city centre is tightly knit, so a retail therapy wander around the totally pedestrianised centre means an encounter with every type of shop.

Small enough to walk around but big enough to accommodate all the high street chains and much, much more, Derby is a one-stop destination for tourists and locals alike.

It's all here, from fashionable high street stores to the bargains in two bustling markets, from the new Westfield Centre (formerly the Eagle Centre) to the little shops surrounding the Cathedral Quarter in Sadler Gate.

Most of the outlying areas have little shopping centres of their own, selling day-to-day necessities.

Eating and drinking:

Eating: Derby has the lot, from Jamaican jerk pork to kebabs.

There is an 800-seat international food hall in the Westfield Centre, multicultural eating places in Normanton, and upmarket cuisine at some of the top restaurants.

Pubs: Mostly traditional on the outskirts, then ultra trendy in the city centre, with hi spec bars and trendy wine places such as Boom, Union 2, Sotto Scala, Destiny and Elite, and to clubs featuring everything from the best in cocktails to a bucking bronco.

Derby offers a great night out: small enough for a trendy bar stagger but big enough for stacks of choice.

Sports:

Football: Premiership football at Derby County in Pride Park.

Cricket: Derbyshire Cricket Club at the County Ground.

Six leisure centres.

Several golf courses, and numerous sporting activities.

Entertainment and Leisure:

Cinema: Multiplex at Forresters Leisure Park at Sinfin, and Metro in Green Lane. Plans for a new 12 screen cinema in the Westfield Centre.

Theatre: Assembly Rooms and Guildhall Theatre in the Market Place, and Derby Dance, featuring 134-seat studio and theatre.

Derby Super Bowl and Quasar at Forresters Leisure Park, Sinfin Lane.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

Open Spaces:

Derby is literally bristling with parks and open spaces.  The major ones are:

Darley Park, just the outside city centre in Darley Park Drive has riverside walks along the Derwent, and is popular with students and families.

Markeaton Park, in Ashbourne Road, not far from city centre, has a huge free firework display every year.

The Arboretum in Normanton was the first public park in the country, opened in 1840, and the blue print for New York's Central Park.

Allestree Park in Duffield Road has an 18 hole golf course.