Commissioned in February 2025, the review updates the 2012 Green Wedge assessment, which informed Derby’s current Local Plan adopted in 2017. Green Wedges were first introduced in the 1980s as a network of open spaces designed to shape the city’s growth, separate neighbourhoods, and maintain links with the countryside. Today, 13 Green Wedges remain designated under Policy CP18 in the Local Plan.

LUC drew on our expertise in the Green Belt, landscape sensitivity assessment, and green infrastructure to develop a bespoke methodology tailored to this distinctive and valued local designation. The review focused on the primary functions of Green Wedges: shaping urban form, protecting residential amenity, and keeping open connections to the wider countryside. It also recorded secondary functions, such as health, well-being, and environmental value, while recognising that these can be supported by other planning tools.

The review confirmed that Derby’s Green Wedges continue to play a vital role in shaping the city’s urban structure. Ten of the 13 areas scored strongly, with 67% making either a strong or relatively strong contribution.

Alongside the assessment, LUC also reviewed the potential impacts of proposed development sites located within or adjacent to the Green Wedges. This included development sites in neighbouring authorities that could obstruct or enclose the wedges. The analysis found that 38% of sites would cause high harm to wedge function, with only 10% judged to cause low harm. These pressures highlight the importance of cross-boundary collaboration to safeguard Derby’s green infrastructure.

Despite these challenges, the review concluded that Policy CP18 remains highly relevant and should be carried forward into the updated Local Plan. LUC recommended several refinements, including boundary changes to reflect urban development and remove inconsistencies.

To address situations where Green Wedges can no longer fully perform their role due to external development, LUC recommended that the Council consider a complementary ‘Green Gap’ designation. This would apply as a last resort where wedges are either obstructed by development outside the city and beyond Derby Council’s control or identified as seriously underperforming. Former wedge land could also be protected through other designations such as Public Open Space, Local Nature Reserves, or Local Green Space.

The review provides a clear and forward-looking strategy for Derby’s green infrastructure. It shows how the Green Wedges continue to deliver long-term benefits for the city, from protecting neighbourhood identity to enhancing quality of life. By strengthening Policy CP18, Derby City Council can continue to shape growth in a sustainable way, safeguard valued green spaces, and align with the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Our proven track record in championing green infrastructure, while acknowledging the realities of development pressures, allowed us to deliver a detailed and balanced analysis that supports the Council in planning a future for Derby that benefits nature, people and places.