£80M COLLEGE PLAN

A new city centre college is the favourite contender to occupy a seven-acre slice of Derby's redeveloped bus station site. It has been revealed that Derby College hopes to move into 180,000 square feet of space on the Riverlights site, in the Morledge. Developer MetroHolst has also revealed that the proposed bus and coach station development is to be "bigger and better" than originally planned.

The Riverlights scheme has been on the drawing board since 1997 and the college and coach station ideas are a far cry from the original plans, which included a multiplex cinema and hotel. But the developer still intends to include bars, cafes and restaurants and claims to have had interest from comedy club Jongleurs, a health and fitness club and a national casino chain.

Richard Kemp, director of MetroHolst, said, "We've been in talks with the college and it has identified the Riverlights site as a preferential location for a city centre college facility. We are currently waiting for the college to come back with a specific design for what it is looking for."

The Riverlights scheme involves demolishing the existing bus station and building a 24-bay terminal, with attached indoor concourse containing travel-related information, a news-agent, coffee shop, pharmacy and sandwich shop. But the coach station element, omitted from the original plans, would now be "bigger and better", said Mr Kemp.

It would be linked to the bus station and provide an additional five bays. There would be a taxi rank and private vehicle drop-off and pick-up points. Derby College, which has sites at Wilmorton, Mackworth and Morley, has made no secret of its desire for a presence in the city centre. If its plan goes ahead, the scheme is expected to cost up to £80m. The college would need to find at least one-third of the cost in match-funding.

That could be raised by selling off parts of its existing accommodation and the college is currently carrying out a feasibility study. Its plans would need the approval of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the Government body responsible for funding and planning education and training for over-16s. College principal David Croll said, "In the next month, we should be in a position to do a presentation to the LSC. Riverlights could be the best option, but we're looking at all possibilities."

Chris Williamson, leader of Derby City Council, said, "Discussions are ongoing, but the college is certainly a possibility that would be beneficial." Campaigners opposed to the Riverlights scheme gathered for a picnic in the River Gardens on Saturday. More than 100 people attended the event in support of the Bus Station Action Group, which opposes the loss of open space near the bus station and the demolition of the 1930s building.