COUNCILLOR
GAGGED
In July 2002 Lib Dem Ann Crosby, claimed she was
gagged by the Government code of conduct, which
requires that councillors withdraw from
discussions where their personal interest could
be regarded as significant enough to prejudice
"the member's judgement of the public
interest".
Since then she resigned from her post of chairman
of the Bus Station Action Group, which was
founded in 1999 to save the bus station in The
Morledge, believing that this would allow her to
continue expressing her opinions in the council
chamber.
But she is being barred from a planning control
meeting, at which councillors plan to give the
go-ahead for the Riverlights scheme. Ms Crosby
has claimed the exclusion is unjust, as other
councillors in favour of the project will be able
to freely speak at the meeting.
Michael Foote, director of council corporate
services, said, "As Councillor Crosby is a
member of the planning committee she has to make
sure that she doesn't bring into that meeting any
undue bias."
He added, "Because of the way in which she
has been speaking out constantly against the
development over a long period of time, she
agrees that she's biased and therefore she should
not take part in the discussion."
Maurice Burgess, leader of Derby City Council,
said, "This rule is something that is
imposed by central Government but I think that
elected representatives should be able to speak
their mind and express their judgements." |
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RIVERLIGHTS SCHEME PLAN
The Bus and Coach Station:
The airport-style, 29-bay bus and coach station will have
automatic doors at each departure gate, a seated area,
which is heated and provides a waiting area for
passengers, as well as electronic signage and convenience
shops.
The Riverlights Building:
There will be restaurants, a cafe, bars, a health and
fitness suite, a casino, a comedy club, chemists,
newsagents and a bakers or confectioners in this
building.
The Waterfront Building and the Whitewater
Building:
These buildings will offer a total of 150 mainly
two-bedroom apartments with a few larger penthouse
properties. There will also be secure parking for
residents.
The Headquarters Building:
This will be a 150,000 sq ft city centre landmark
building and is designed to attract major companies. The
offices will be air-conditioned and will be large enough
to employ around 1,000 people. The building is designed
so that it can be let out to individual tenants or one
company.
The Riverlights project has been dogged by controversy
ever since its was conceived. In 1996, Derby City Council
signed an exclusive deal with Nottingham- based developer
MetroHolst. In October, 1997, the council granted outline
planning permission for the plans. Widespread protests
against the scheme led to the collection of a 15,000-name
petition calling for the bus station to be saved and the
formation of the Bus Station Action Group. The plans were
revised several times and, in October, 2000, MetroHolst
had to seek an extension to its three-year deadline for
submitting the plans.
In November, 2000, MetroHolst submitted outline proposals
and an artist's impression of the site. The plans
included the demolition of the existing 1930s bus station
and the building of a new, 29-bay bus station. Also
planned was a 10-screen cinema, hotel, nightclub, health
and fitness centre and an array of restaurants, cafes,
bars and outdoor riverside piazzas. A year later, when
MetroHolst submitted detailed plans to the council, Bus
Station Action Group chairman Ann Crosby called the
proposals monstrous. Members also criticised MetroHolst's
choice of materials, design and colour.
That same year, Conservative Philip Hickson, now deputy
council leader but then in opposition, claimed the future
of the bus station had "degenerated into
shambles". In 2002, the council set up a cross-party
working group to negotiate with the developer.
New images of what the Riverlights
development will look like have been released. Later this
year, Riverlights Ltd, the company behind the scheme,
will publish a promotional brochure. It says this should
give the public further insight into the project, and
help attract prospective businesses. David Osborne,
director of Riverlights Ltd, said the new brochure will
be a useful marketing tool and was hopeful that it could
attract more businesses to the project.
Riverlights has put together two computer-generated
images to include in the promotion material. The first
image features the face which will front the River
Derwent, with the Hilton Hampton Hotel on the upper level
and shops and restaurants on the ground level.
The second image shows a view looking from
the Morledge, the side which includes the development's
other hotel, Holiday Inn. It also shows Riverlights'
relationship to its neighbours, with Derby Crown Court
shown to the left and the Riverside multi-storey car park
to the right.
However, the images do not show the new bus
station element of the development, which will be on the
side facing the Riverside car park. The bus station will
be the first element of Riverlights to open. The hotels,
retail units and casino are scheduled to be completed by
summer 2010. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jul/09)
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