Throughout 2025, numerous decisions have been made regarding Derbyshire’s future. With Government funding and budgets allocated to be invested into areas of the county, many towns are in for a change as we head into the new year.
From towns in the Peak District to the south of Derbyshire, several areas are set to undergo changes and receive much-needed improvements.
A popular destination in the Peak District is getting an improved look in the new year. Manchester-based company Capital&Centric announced Buxton in the High Peak was in for a £100m revamp to improve the pedestrian experience and offerings whilst preserving its historical architecture.
First on the agenda will be The Springs Shopping Centre in the heart of the town, which has been purchased by High Peak Borough Council in 2022 after it received over £6m in Government funding. Following a public consultation, plans shared by the developers revealed that the currently hidden River Wye could be opened up.
John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “We’ve always said this would be shaped by the people who live and work in Buxton and this first conversation proves how much passion there is for the town’s future.
“We’ve taken the feedback seriously, from calls for design that honours the past to a town centre that’s buzzing with independent shops and culture. The River Wye has been hidden for too long and we’re really excited to be opening it up and making it part of a proper public space the whole town can enjoy.”
Building work is set to get underway following the approval of planning applications, which Derbyshire Live was told would be submitted towards the end of 2025. In the future, developers plan to create new homes, workspaces, bars, and cafes in the town.
On the southeastern border of Derbyshire, the town of Long Eaton will see a number of new developments introduced. After Erewash Borough Council secured almost £25m from the Government for their Long Eaton Town Deal projects, three key initiatives are set to give the town a new look in 2026.
Starting in May 2025, the Galaxy Cinema, often branded an eyesore, was demolished to make way for townhouses, flats, and new businesses to be built on the site. After it was laid bare during a four-month demolition process, construction of the new premises is now set to take up a significant portion of the new year.
Around £10m will be put towards turning the High Street into a pedestrianised area, with more benches and greenery being installed. Works are scheduled to start in May 2026, with completion expected by May 2027.
The council’s third key initiative followed the identification of a demand for small, affordable business units in the town. The former Stable Block, located adjacent to Long Eaton Town Hall, has been converted into business units for people seeking small offices on “easy-in, easy-out” terms.
The quaint tourist town of Ashbourne has had an eventful 2025, having spent most of it with some of its main streets closed. In the new year, however, the Ashbourne Reborn project is bringing a new look to the town.
Led by Derbyshire Dales District Council together with Derbyshire County Council and Ashbourne Methodist Church, the project is set to bring “vibrancy, vitality and economic prosperity” to the town centre. In two phases, a number of public spaces including the Market Place, Victoria Square, Millennium Square and Shrovetide Walk, as well as the road network, are being improved to transform the pedestrian experience in the town.
The improvements meant major routes through the town such as Dig Street and St John Street were closed to traffic for the majority of summer, with their reopening being celebrated widely. A new community hub has brought a modern range of accommodation options for groups and families and an outdoor riverside garden event space to the town.