City Lab to host consultation on Assembly Rooms vision

Derby City Lab is set to host a consultation on plans for a visionary new, multi-use community building on the site of the former Assembly Rooms.

VINCI UK Developments and Ion Developments is inviting people to share their views on the project, described as a “landmark community building”, provisionally named ‘Derby MADE’.

Derby residents, businesses owners, and stakeholders are invited to participate in the consultation as it launches with drop-in exhibitions at Derby City Lab, which is on Level 2 of the Derbion shopping centre.

Members of the team behind the project will be on hand to discuss the vision at the drop-ins, which will take place on Wednesday 7 May, from 2pm to 5.30pm and Thursday 8 May, from 3pm to 6.30pm.

Councillor Nadine Peatfield, leader of Derby City Council and cabinet member for city centre, regeneration, strategy and policy, said: “Redeveloping the Market Place, combined with the opening of Vaillant Live and revitalised Market Hall, will reinforce our efforts to transform Derby city centre into a vibrant and welcoming place, with culture at its heart.

“This is a huge step forwards for this site and I’m really excited to hear what the public think of the plans.”

Adam Rodgers, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Derby City Lab lead, said: “We are delighted that the lab will be hosting these important drop-in events.

“The future of the Assembly Rooms is one of the things we get asked about the most by lab visitors – and we hope as many people as possible will pop in to find out more about the vision for this site.”

Derby MADE is intended to provide a vibrant and safe place for all communities to come together.

With a combined 60,000 sq ft of public spaces to gather, learn, share ideas, play and work, it is envisaged that it will become the city’s “living room” and become a natural place for the people of Derby to meet and visit.

The vision for the building, which would operate throughout the day and evening, includes spaces for families, meeting rooms, co-working spaces, library area, exhibition spaces, a roof-top bar, office and retail units.

Derby MADE would form the first phase of the Market Place redevelopment, utilising the entire site of the Assembly Rooms.

Graham Lambert, managing director at VINCI UK Developments, said: “Derby MADE is at the heart of our shared initiative, designed to shape the vision for the city centre around a newly bustling Market Place, and this is the first opportunity we have had to share some of those plans.

“We are only too aware of our responsibility in transforming the site of the former Assembly Rooms, with something that is equally iconic, but also of equal or greater relevance to Derby’s citizens.

“We have assembled what we think is an amazing project and we would love to hear feedback to help us shape the vision as it moves forward.”

Steve Parry, managing director at Ion Developments, said: “We’re delighted to be involved with this project which is designed to celebrate civic pride and the city’s identity.

“The building is intended to give the people of Derby a reason for visiting the heart of the city centre and to help build the visitor economy building up the Vaillant Live and Derby Market Hall.

“We have taken inspiration from similarly transformational and successful projects at Storyhouse in Chester, and in Culture House in Sunderland.

“We are hoping to draw over three quarters of a million visitors a year to the Market Place, we expect that will be a new lease of life for the square and hopefully for the businesses that are understandably relying on its careful rejuvenation.”

Nadine added: “It’s vital that we create a space that matters to the people of Derby and attracts visitors from further afield.

“By creating a multi-use, flexible building, we believe we can strike that balance and give Derby residents somewhere they can call home, but at the same time creating a central visitor destination through a variety of attractions and activity.

“Derby has been eagerly anticipating the next steps for this site, and we’re confident that our preferred strategic development partners, VINCI UK Developments and Ion Developments have taken the time to get this right for the people of Derby and future-proof the site for generations to come.”

As well as the consultation events, the public can find out more about Derby MADE at https://marketplaceredevelopment-derby.co.uk/.

The website will have all the consultation material and feedback survey on from the 7 May and residents will be able to feedback on the vision for a number of weeks.

To plan you visit to Derby City Lab visit https://derbycitylab.com/.