Derbion is looking to grow, especially in the fashion arena, so the ambitious Derby city shopping centre has appointed global real estate advisor CBRE to both consolidate and support a proposed growth plan.

Derbion, whose retail portfolio includes Next, Zara, Mango, M&S, Hobbs, Hugo Boss, and Frasers/Flannels, wants more. So the target is to “enhance a progressive leasing strategy, optimising the offer from its current retailers whilst attracting exciting new brands, food and beverage and leisure occupiers to the tenant mix”.

The chosen CBRE team to spearhead the plan includes Stephen Proudley, Emi Turner, Amy Carroll and Lucia Sanderson, who bring 46 years’ combined experience across the Central London and regional retail markets. 

Its “market-leading Shopping Centre Leasing team” boasts significant experience on major UK regional shopping centres and forms part of the firms wider 120-strong UK retail team.

Over the last four years, Derbion has undergone an extensive repositioning and growth strategy with the main focus to “right-size to the demands of its regional catchment with an improved fashion and branded offering”.

Derbion now claims to be a top 20 retail asset in the UK and has benefitted from around £35 million of retailer investment in new stores, refits and upsizes since 2021. It’s also attracting footfall of more than 15 million visitors a year. 

CBRE said it will make use of the centre’s customer insight and data “to attract new exciting retail occupiers, while also enhancing Derbion’s leisure facilities to ensure the centre continues to offer a full family-day out”.

This year, the centre has also welcomed new occupiers including Castore and White Stuff, while new brands and existing retailers, including JD, Superdrug, Ann Summers, and New Look, have recently invested in refits and upsizes, “to create an enhanced shopping environment with customers benefitting from better store layouts, more interactive experiences as well as increased product ranges”.

An additional project is also under way to create a new eastern entrance to Derbion via the £4 million Eastern Gateway project. Part-funded by the government’s Future High Streets Fund, it will create a new façade and urban garden to better connect Derbion with city centre.

Michael Boundy, director, Asset Management at Derbion, said: “Supported by trusted advisers, our best in class on-site team has enabled us to move quickly over recent years and take an agile approach to everything from marketing and operations to leasing and strategic planning. This has resulted in an increased market share and significant growth. With CBRE on board we hope to take this approach to a new level as we broaden our offer for customers through new and exciting openings and expanded stores.”