Timescale set for revamp of square into 'lively hub'

A new-look square will be unveiled this summer following the reopening of Derby Market Hall.

The majority of Osnabruck Square has been taken over by hoardings while a £35.1m refurbishment of the Grade II listed market hall has taken place.

With the market back open from Saturday 24 May, work to transform the square outside will continue until "later this summer", said Derby City Council.

The transformation will include the relocation of the carved Osnabruck Milestone obelisk.

It will be placed alongside new benches being installed around a "flexible" events area, while raised beds, trees and shrubs will be installed to create "a vibrant green space", said the council.

The square will also be the site of a new main entrance into Derby Market Hall.

In planning documents, the council said the space was last refurbished in 1985 and looked "tired and neglected".

Council leader Nadine Peatfield said the changes would "breathe new life" into the area.

She said: "The square will not only look beautiful but will also improve accessibility and help draw more people into the heart of our city.

"This is the culmination of a great deal of hard work and planning, and I look forward to seeing the area become a vibrant destination for shopping, eating, and entertainment."

The site, owned by the council, lies within the City Centre Conservation Area and is named after its twin city of Osnabruck in Germany.

The carved stone obelisk has inscriptions linked to Osnabruck, and was a gift from the German city in recognition of the 1976 twinning treaty signed with Derby.

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