Hotel demolition contract heralds new milestone for Becketwell

Derby City Council has announced it has signed a contract to demolish a hotel to make way for the £200 million Becketwell scheme.

The Pennine Hotel and former Brannigans pub will be levelled to make way for the scheme, which involves creating apartments, offices, a new hotel, multi-storey car park, public square and performance venue.

The Becketwell site, in the heart of the city centre, also covers land previously occupied by the now demolished former Debenhams store, in Victoria Street and Duckworth Square, in Colyear Street.

Recently, detailed planning consent was given for the first phase of the regeneration scheme, which involves 259 build-to-rent apartments on the old Debenhams site.

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Overall, the scheme, which is being delivered by St James Securities, will create more than 2,000 jobs.

The city council has now awarded the demolition contract for the Pennine to A R Demolition, with work due to start in the spring and continue until autumn.

Councillor Matthew Holmes, deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transportation, said: “This site has been a regeneration priority for many years.

“The closure of the Duckworth Square mall in the late 1990s and the subsequent relocation of Debenhams left the area in economic decline.

“It was compounded by the shutdown of the hotel five years ago.

“We now have a tremendously exciting opportunity to reimagine a vitally important part of the city centre – creating new vibrancy, boosting the economy and providing facilities for more people to live, work and enjoy life in a thriving, prospering Derby.”

Paul Morris, development director at St James Securities, said: “The appointment of the contractor for the demolition of the former Pennine Hotel is another key milestone in preparing the site for the long-awaited Becketwell regeneration scheme.

“We look forward to getting on site to commence phase one of the scheme in early May.”