A NEW VISION FOR OUR MARKET PLACE
...BUT CAN YOU TELL WHAT’S MISSING?
DERBY City Council has revealed how the Market Place would look if it gets permission to demolish the Assembly Rooms.
The plans for how it might be used include temporary landscaping, pop-up markets and outdoor events while a longterm development proposal for the area is drawn up.
The space will also be used for food and drink stalls with seating areas, entertainment spaces and car parking.
Earlier this year, Derby City Council put forward proposals to develop a new 3,500-seater venue at Becketwell after plans to refurbish the Assembly Rooms fell through.
The Assembly Rooms has been closed since March 2014, following a fire in the plant room on the roof of the adjacent car park.
The city council has now applied for permission to demolish the Assembly Rooms and the car park, which were opened in 1977.
People opposed to the demolition of the Brutalist-style building, which includes a national petition of almost 1,000 names, have been calling for an alternative use for the space that would be left.
A number of heritage groups are also opposed to the demolition because no suitable alternative plan for the area had been devised.
Councillor Matthew Holmes, city council deputy leader, said: “We did our very best to bring the Assembly Rooms back into use but, with costs increasing to over £33million, we could no longer justify best value to the taxpayer or have confidence it wouldn’t increase further.
“That is why we are pursuing a brand new 3,500-seater concert and entertainments venue at Becketwell. This is a very exciting prospect for Derby, delivered in partnership with the private sector.
“However, this means we also now need to regenerate the Assembly Rooms site and to do that means we need a blank canvas to pursue what comes next.
“We are already working on options for permanent longterm redevelopment but we also have exciting plans so that the site can be used until then for a range of uses, including varied outdoor markets, pop up retail, green space, food, drink and events.
“This will ensure, as we promised, that the site is not left as ‘a hole in the ground’ or boarded off, something that we know is a concern for local businesses and city residents and for the council.
“I hope that everyone can get behind these plans as we are determined to create vibrancy and help drive our recovery forward so Derby can continue to prosper.”
The council hopes that a longterm development opportunity can be delivered in time so that the shorter-term outdoor event space option is not needed.
Ideas for the future development of the Assembly Rooms site are currently being worked up by the council and key partners.