Sports centre to be demolished after years empty
THE end is coming for a derelict Derby sports centre after council bosses confirmed it will soon be demolished.
Shaftesbury Sports Centre, on Shaftesbury Park, is to be bulldozed later this year, ending what has been years of uncertainty for the neglected site.
The city council-owned building, close to where the Baseball Ground once stood, has been empty for many years, with attempts to try to bring the venue back to life never coming to fruition. The site has attracted anti-social behaviour in recent years, leading to its deterioration.
Yesterday morning, the Derby Telegraph visited the site to see large amounts of litter surrounding it, as well as broken glass and parts of the building sprayed in graffiti.
On one of the doors was a city council poster asking members of the community why are they littering at the spot.
It is not yet clear if anything will replace the sports centre once it is demolished. The city council says work to knock it down is likely to start in December.
A spokesperson said: “Derby City Council has made several attempts to identify a group that has the capacity to bring the Shaftesbury Sports Centre back into use. The building has been empty for many years and over time its condition has deteriorated.
“The site attracts a lot of anti-social behaviour, including a recent arson attack. Money has been identified in the council’s capital programme to knock down the building, and work is anticipated to start in December.”
News of the demolition was first raised during a full council meeting on Wednesday. Arboretum’s Labour councillor Shiraz Khan revealed that he had seen an email saying the sports centre was set to be bulldozed.
But this latest announcement from the city council marks a U-turn on what was said almost a year ago. At a Derby Homes board meeting plans were revealed to develop a new housing estate on Shaftesbury Street.
It was reported in August last year that, as well as the creation of new modern housing, the plans could also see a new lease of life for the former Shaftesbury Sports Centre. Derby Homes said it was talking to residents about its future use.
Initial ideas from residents included seeing it transformed into a new women’s exercise facility or space for indoor cricket.
But it appears the full-time whistle has blown in bringing the former sports centre back to public use.