£200m scheme to regenerate Becketwell given the go-ahead
A PLAN to create hundreds of new homes and leisure space in the Becketwell area of the city centre has been given the go-ahead.
The 11 members of Derby City Council’s planning control committee voted unanimously last night to give the £200 million regeneration plan the green light.
Although a number of objections had been received, large numbers of businesses in Derby have welcomed the project, which is being headed by Leeds-based St James Securities.
Outline planning permission was given for 224 apartments in an 11-storey building, adjacent to a further five-storey building with more apartments and other mixed uses, together with offices, and full planning permission for a multi-use public square.
The height of the two apartment blocks was scaled down about a month ago from 19 and nine storeys respectively.
At the planning meeting, Ian Goodwin, of Derby Civic Society, commented on the hybrid application and said: “In our opinion the 11 storey high-rise building is still too high and we would prefer a building four or five storeys high in keeping with the surrounding historical city centre.
“We propose the preferred site for the residential development is located near to existing residential property and there is scope for the residential area to expand in the future towards Curzon Street to create a larger residential conurbation.”
But committee chair Councillor Steve Hassall said: “It is not before time this area should be rejuvenated.”
The report which went to the committee said: “There is a clear and compelling need to comprehensively regenerate Becketwell and the scheme has the potential to secure a multitude of benefits.
“They include the regeneration of a long-term derelict site that currently has a negative impact on the economy and townscape of the city centre, acting as a catalyst to wider improvement of the area.
“The overall public benefits of the proposal decisively outweigh the identified ‘less than substantial harm’ to the identified heritage assets.”
The approved planning application included a detailed proposal for the new square and an outline application for the two revised buildings.
The rest of the submitted planning application included a range of other complementary uses of the site, including up to 25,000 sq m of new grade A offices, innovation centre and leisure to complement the residential and a planned multi-storey car park with a smaller more intimate courtyard public square.
The detail for the re-designed element of the residential scheme will be presented at a future meeting, which is likely to be late spring. There will be scope for further consultation, review and comments to the revised proposals prior to it going to committee.
There have been various failed attempts to regenerate the Duckworth Square and Becketwell areas over many years including retailing, office development, healthcare and a recently proposed ice rink.
Work to demolish the former Debenhams building is under way.