‘THE WRONG BUILDING IN THE WRONG PLACE’
REPORT SLAMS PLANS FOR NEW £45M PERFORMANCE VENUE,
DERBY’S proposed new performance venue in the Becketwell area has been labelled “the wrong building in the wrong location” by the city’s conservation area advisory committee (CAAC).
The committee’s objection to the plan for a £45 million arena included criticism of the quality of design and architecture of the building, which would occupy land between Colyear Street and Becket Street and be open by 2025.
It has also been labelled as adding to the concept of “grey Derby’ with its proposed colour by an independent design panel invited to give planning advice by the city council.
The CAAC remarks came during the current consultation on the planning application which would see the venue built on the site of the former Pennine Hotel, Laurie House offices, multi-storey car park, and Coconut Lounge nightclub in Colyear Street and Systems House and Padley House in Becket Street.
The application is for the demolition of the buildings, erection of a performance and entertainment venue, service yard, vehicular and pedestrian access, highway infrastructure amendments, landscaping, public realm and associated works.
At the recent CAAC meeting, committee chair Chris Twomey said that the building and storage yard next to it would “sterilise” Becket Street.
He said: “A performance venue for the city is welcome but this is the wrong building in the wrong location, hidden away with no prominence in the area.”
Mr Twomey was echoing remarks made by other members of the committee including David Ling, of Derby Civic Society, who also said: “We have campaigned for many years for use to be made of derelict Duckworth Square and for it to be developed.
“The new public square planned for the area would be an ideal location for the new theatre venue.
“But the proposed performance venue is a poor quality building and if the new public square is developed, the building will be stuffed down a side street and not visible. I am extremely disappointed.”
Committee member historian Maxwell Craven said it was a “hideous” building and urged developers not to demolish the former Baptist chapel, even though it is not a listed building.
The performance venue is part of a £200 million regeneration of the Becketwell area and work has already started on a 259 oneand two-bedroom apartment block, being built on the site of the former Debenhams store on Victoria
Street, and the new pubinadequate
lic square, with completion by spring 2023.
Criticism of the siting of the venue within Becketwell has also been made by an independent design review panel consisting of Maber Architects, Matthew Montague Architects, Blair Gratton Architects, Pick Everard Architects, Guy Taylor Architects and Paul Clarke, of Derby City planning department.
The design review panel was invited by the planning department to provide independent design advice during the application process for the performance venue. The panel said it is in favour of a performance venue at Becketwell but it has “some fundamental concerns about the approach taken noting that this will be the most significant public building to come forward in the city in the past decade”.
It also recommends the venue would be better sited next to the public square. The panel’s report said: “The sense of arrival and visitor experience would be far more fitting for a development the locals and the city are keen to be proud of.
“The venue would have the ability to breathe on all sides and thereby provide an opportunity to create an iconic architectural landmark that raises the bar for the whole city.
“The opportunity is lost when the venue will be a hidden building or ‘tucked away’ once the public square and other buildings are built.
“The design consists of a series of square boxes. It’s not very adventurous or playful enough for the type of building it is.
“The elevations are uninspiring, and the colour palette unfortunately plays to the notion of ‘grey Derby.’
“Fundamentally, this proposal does not add to the city’s built environment in the way it should. The quality has to be right and good enough for Derby. This proposal could be described as detrimental due to its location/appearance/setting and the limited circulation space around it.”
Public consultation on the performance venue, which will have 3,500 standing capacity, showed 93% of those who responded agree that Derby needs a new concert and entertainment centre.
While 80% favour it staging for music concerts, 51% would like to see comedy shows, 43% are in favour of theatre, 27% want exhibitions staged there and 21% would like to watch musicals.
Several letters of support have also been sent as part of the planning consultation for the performance venue including from the University of Derby, Derbion, East Midlands Chamber, D2N2 and Marketing Derby.
The Becketwell regeneration is being overseen by developers St James Securities (SJS), of Leeds, and it has drawn up responses to the criticisms by the design panel and also the Theatres Trust, which questioned the proposed size of the venue and said: “As currently designed we consider this arena for most theatre productions.”
The detailed response from SJS, and its design team takes each point individually and says: “It has not been designed to cater for largescale touring theatrical events to the detriment of its ability to attract and host other events such as concerts, entertainment events, family shows and stand-up comedy.”
It concludes: “We know, and our operator ASM Global clearly agrees, that the new venue will be a tremendous asset for Derby, of which the city can truly be proud.”
The proposed performance venue would be forward funded and owned by Derby City Council and run by world renowned operator ASM Global, the world’s leading producer of entertainment, sports, and exhibition experiences around the world.
It is projected that the venue would host over 200 cultural and commercial events each year and attract an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby.
It is also expected it would over 200 new local jobs, generate more than £10m per year for the area and increase levels of investment in surrounding areas of the city centre. The planning application is expected to be decided in the next two months.
The design consists of a series of square boxes. It’s not very adventurous or playful enough.
Design review panel
The new venue will be a tremendous asset for Derby, of which the city can truly be proud.
St James Securities
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