DERBY CITYSCAPE

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A £3m centre in Ford Street to house graphic design, music production, film-making and computer game firms has been approved. The building will have office space for 40 businesses, meeting rooms and a café. The centre has been designed to provide the space, layout, broadband access and location necessary for small creative businesses that have outgrown places like Network House, at the University of Derby and Banks' Mill studios, in Bridge Street. It is hoped that the likes of EM Media, which is part of the UK Film Council and Arts Council England in the East Midlands will set up bases at the centre.

The studios were officially opened in November last year and the city council hoped that by now it would be a base for up to 40 creative businesses. But the studios are expected to have a £150,000 overspend by the end of this month. The reason for the overspend has been put down to just a handful of units being let. The council is now analysing the rent rates at the studios compared to those for similar businesses across the city. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Nov/07)

Taxpayers could face a £750,000 bill to modify Friar Gate Studios after complaints about its soundproofing. The £3m office block opened three years ago but the city council has received complaints that soundproofing needs to be increased. Alterations to the building could land the city council with a huge bill. Councillor Mike Carr, cabinet member for direct and internal services, said some firms in the building had complained they could hear people speaking in adjoining offices.

He said, "Sound proofing and interior work does need to be done because we need to reduce the noise transmission. We think it is going to cost around £750,000 to deal with but we need to look into that more first. The building was created with a sort of warehouse feel with exposed pipework and that sort of thing but we need to see if that is not providing the right sound-proofing."

Friar Gate Studios was commissioned by the city council and paid for using council and regional development money. It opened with a great fanfare in November 2006 but the council has struggled to fill it because of problems with a lack of parking in the area and the credit crunch, and now noise is also a cause for complaint. Only about 60% of the units are occupied. The city council said that had peaked at 80% before the credit crunch.

The building was designed to provide space for 40 creative companies, boosting that industry in the city. Hall Grey Architects, which designed the building, said it created it to the specifications of the city council. David Hall, of the Derby firm, said that the council had set out to create something for start-up, art-based businesses who would pay a peppercorn rent for three years before being established enough to move to other premises.

But the council had changed its plans, marketing the units at a higher rent and attracting different types of companies, including those working in sound engineering and digital media. Mr Hall said, "We designed it to the specifications given us and it was ideal for the type of businesses it was originally aimed at." The authority has already paid £558,000 towards creating the building as well as providing the land for it.

The remainder of the money came from the East Midlands Development Agency, Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership and Derbyshire Enterprise Agency. Mr Carr said the exact amount for the work and how it would be paid for had not yet been confirmed. He said, "We will look into everything before we spend the cash." Council officers confirmed the authority had received some complaints from tenants and is looking into them and how it may pay for the work.

A council spokeswoman said, "Since last autumn, there has been a number of business tenants who either closed down or chose to move out. Such fluctuations have occurred at other business centres in the city over the same period of time. In response the council is considering how it might help to position Friar Gate Studios for a recovery in the economic climate."

She added, "As it is only two-and-a-half years old, the centre is in an excellent position to attract new investment and help local businesses to develop and grow but it will need support to do so. Further investment is a possibility with a view to recouping this in future years but no decision has yet been made." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Aug/09)

Derby Cityscape is a limited company supported by private and public organisations, including Derby City Council, the East Midlands Development Agency and English Partnerships, and was set up to aid development in the city centre. Areas that have already been identified for regeneration include the riverside area, Duckworth Square, Friar Gate and Cathedral Row as well as the Litchurch and Castle wards and improvements to areas such as the Market Place. Work to draw up a master plan, which will be unveiled next spring, is due to start in August. It has already been revealed that one of the first additions to the city will be a £750,000 footbridge across the River Derwent to link Cathedral Green, which is off Full Street, and Stuart Street.

Planning permission has been granted for Ashbourne-based Derby City Living Ltd to build 76 apartments in Stuart Street, on the former Eggleston Brothers site in a £14m project. Architectural and civil engineering firms will be invited to tender for designing and building the bridge later in the year. Michael Hall, acting chief executive of Derby Cityscape, said, "Consultation with the people of Derby about the opportunities for development will be key to the success of Derby Cityscape. Although the regeneration master plan for the whole Cityscape area has not been finalised, it is widely acknowledged that this footbridge will be key to future plans.

It will link two key areas of the city centre and will open up under-used public space close to the Silk Mill, which forms the gateway to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site." Bob Laxton, MP for Derby North, said, "Derby needs to develop and we need to get more life back into the city and one of the long-standing issues is to try to get more people to make use of the river." Maurice Burgess, leader of Derby City Council, said, "The idea of a footbridge could enhance the area." The ambitious scheme to breathe new life into Derby city centre will cost £50m more than was originally expected.

It had been calculated that the number of residential, office and leisure developments would cost about £225m. But, on closer inspection, the Cityscape project is now expected to need £275m worth of investment. Michael Hall, who is the acting chief executive of Derby Cityscape, said, "We've had a closer look at all of the different projects and we have worked out the amount that would have to be spent to achieve all the projects that have been identified. This is now estimated to be around £275m."

To fund the various projects that are put forward under the Cityscape vision, money will come from a range of public and private companies. Board members come from a range of organisations and companies from across Derby, which aim to help create a city-wide vision of development.

Board members include Norman Askew; Jeff Moore, deputy chief executive of the East Midlands Development Agency; Dennis Hone, director of English Partnerships; Councillor Philip Hickson, deputy leader of Derby City Council; Peter Richardson, chief executive of The Derbyshire Building Society; Paul Kearney, managing director of the Derby Evening Telegraph; Peter Gadsby, chairman of Cedar House Investments; Ray Cowlishaw, chief executive of Derby City Council; Peter Miller, development director of Westfield; Nick Richardson, managing director of Wilson Bowden Developments Ltd; and David Williams, senior partner of Edwards and Geldard.

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