£32m vision for new Derby music and performance venue revealed
Derby City Council’s Cabinet, at its 4 October meeting, is being asked to approve £475,000 to start the procurement of an operator for the new music and performance venue.
The money will also be used to undertake further design work, create a detailed finance appraisal and explore private and public sources of financing.
Several types of venues were explored during feasibility studies to replace the former Assembly Rooms which was closed after a fire in 2014.
The Music and Performance Venue emerged as the only option to be potentially affordable and this is the option that is being recommended to Cabinet for its approval. If approved, it is estimated the scheme will create nearly 400 jobs.
The Council says it is also looking at building a larger and more user-friendly Assembly Rooms car park to replace the current 214-space facility. This will be examined in greater detail as part of the next stage of work.
Deputy leader, councillor Martin Rawson, cabinet member for regeneration and economy said: “The new performance venue is recognised in Derby City Centre Masterplan as being critical to the future success of Derby as a place in which to live, work and invest.
“It’s a venue that will contribute towards animating the Market Place and will provide retail and/or leisure units.
“The venue will be a catalyst to creating a vibrant city centre and we know that vibrant city centres are drivers of local and national economies.
The Council has been allocated £8.6m of local growth funding by D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership – the private sector-led partnership promotes economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
