Virtual consultation opens on new Becketwell performance venue

Marketing Derby Bondholders are being urged to have their say on plans for the development of a new 3,500-capacity entertainment and events venue at Becketwell.

St James Securities, the developers behind the £200 million Becketwell regeneration scheme, are consulting on plans for the new performance venue, which is being built on the site of the former Laurie House offices and NCP multi-storey car park in Derby.

An online consultation event has now opened, with residents, the business community and the public being encouraged to get involved by going to www.becketwell.co.uk and sharing their views.

Oliver Quarmby, managing director of St James Securities, said: “We’re delighted to be able to share our ambitious plans for Derby’s new performance venue with residents, businesses and the public over the next couple of weeks.

“This ambitious project is set to significantly increase Derby’s cultural attraction and the overall profile of the city and bring an outstanding, modern performance venue to Derby.”

Running until Friday 25 June, the consultation takes the form of a virtual exhibition.

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Anyone visiting will have the opportunity to find out more about the ambitious scheme, view the latest plans in detail and download information about the venue.

They will also be invited to give their views on the scheme via an online feedback form.

A virtual presentation and Q&A session is also taking place from 6.30pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday 22 June, where St James Securities and the project team will address questions raised through responses to the exhibition.

Anyone wishing to register should e-mail becketwell@quod.com.

Located at the heart of the wider mixed-use Becketwell development currently being delivered by St James Securities, the purpose-built venue will be a fully flexible, scalable space capable of staging concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows, musical theatre, conferences, and exhibitions.

It will have a 3,500 standing capacity auditorium and seat 600 to 2,500 people in a seated capacity. A secondary space of the venue will have a capacity of up to 400.

Along with a busy concert and entertainment programme, the venue will also attract a wide range of business events.

The new performance venue will be forward funded and owned by Derby City Council and run by ASM Global, a leading producer of entertainment, sports, and exhibition experiences around the world.

It is projected that the venue will host over 200 cultural and commercial events each year and attract an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby.

It is also expected to create over 200 new local jobs, generate more than £10 million per year for the area and increase levels of investment in surrounding areas of the city centre.

Oliver said: “We would encourage neighbours and businesses to visit the virtual exhibition where they can view the proposals in detail.

“Their feedback will help us shape our planning application and ensure the performance venue delivers the maximum possible benefits to the people of Derby.”

An outline planning application for the performance venue is set to be submitted in late July and will be accompanied by a range of technical documentation covering matters such as traffic generation and car parking, noise, and air quality.

Subject to planning consent being granted, work on the performance venue is set to commence in early 2022, with handover to the operator in 2024.