DERBY CITYSCAPE

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Work to improve the appearance of the Morledge in Derby has got under way and boards showing people how the area will look in a year's time when the improvements have finished will go on display outside the courthouse building. Alongside them will be samples of materials that will be used to create the new footways, including the natural stone paving. The works are part of the Derby City Council and Derby Cityscape programme to improve public open spaces. The overall cost of that public realm programme is estimated to be in excess of £30m during the next 10 years.

The majority of the funding is being provided by the city council. The designs for the Morledge were shaped by suggestions from the public at consultation events which were held last year. Councillor Hilary Jones, leader of Derby City Council, said, "The proposed improvements will enhance one of the city's busiest thoroughfares. The information board and sample materials give the public an opportunity to see what the area could look like." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Dec/09)

Councillors are blamed for faulty decisions such as the design for Quad but, surely, the blame lies elsewhere. Councillors are advised by officials and such advice can be poor, narrow in scope, even biased and the judgement on that is evidenced from the result. So what of Quad?

The elevations look like advertising hoardings covered with bad graffiti. It may be the latest "with-it" two-dimensional architectural fashion but in a few years' time it will look tired, rusty, out of date and do even less to enhance that dysfunctional entity which is the Market Place. How many thousands of pounds has been wasted by officials on how many schemes for the Five Lamps and it still doesn't work?

Bureaucrats told councillors that Brightstar SWERF was the way to treat rubbish, but that could be jeopardised through lack of finance, never mind the fact that it is environmentally wrong, and that leaves Derby at risk of failing to meet Government waste disposal targets.

Those were the officials who wanted to drive a road over Bass Rec, have committed Derby to the over-development of the Cockpit Island/Bus Station/River Gardens site and, for some obscure reason, have insisted that the agreement they made with Metro-Holst remains a secret.

The people of Derby should ask how the decisions of Messrs Cowlishaw, Foote, Guest and Co remain outside the normal constraints of openness which even politicians have to observe. The historic Roundhouse is to become a college because of their lack of vision, yet Pete Waterman and the Flying Scot could, even now, be attracting tourists to a railway museum there if those same officials hadn't been too cute for Derby's good.

Derby is omitted from tourist guides and sometimes referred to as a "town". There is nobody else to blame. Graham Buckler

A £6.5m project to build flats on the edge of the Railway Conservation Area in Carrington Street, which has received a £1.1m grant from the Housing Corporation, will include 53 one and two-bedroom homes in five-storey and six-storey buildings. The Housing Corporation is a Government agency that funds low-cost housing and regulates housing associations in England. Developer Kingswater Group was granted planning permission by Derby City Council for the scheme, despite objections from the city's Conservation Areas Advisory Committee.

Derby Cityscape is currently asking people about its proposals for 1,700 flats and houses in the area between Bass's Rec, Traffic Street and London Road, and a further 1,300 homes on the site of Derbyshire Royal Infirmary. As part of the project, the former Rutland Arms, on the corner of Carrington Street and Nelson Street, will be demolished and used to house an extension to Churnet House, an office building in Carrington Street, close to the post office depot in Midland Road.

Derby Cityscape chief executive John Cadwallader said, "Development of the plans for this scheme follows two years of working closely with the developers and architects to present a suitable scheme for a sensitive development within the Railway Conservation area. The new residential community will bring life and vitality to an area in need of regeneration." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, May/06)

As I see it, the objections are threefold: the design of the building and its impact on the Market Place, its location and its name. My own view, for what it is worth, is this: the arts centre is a great idea, it would benefit Derby no end, but I would like to see the space at the corner of the Market Place remain as it is.

It might appear windswept and desolate to some people, especially in the depths of winter, but on beautiful days in spring and summer, it's a proper little haven. So where is the best place for it? There have been many suggestions, such as St Helen's House, which would certainly be a great setting. But I can see problems, not least the addition to the already manic traffic situation in that area.

Another suggestion, which is my favourite, is the Roundhouse. That's the best use I can imagine for such a historic building, plus, its location makes it readily accessible, not only from the city centre but also the A52, the A6 and, most importantly, the railway station.

As for the name "Quad", I must agree it sounds more suitable as the title of an animated film than something as exciting as this project. I did hear the suggestion of "The Alan Bates Centre", which I like very much. It would be a fitting tribute to an outstanding artist and son of Derby.

We have already had moans from the city council, of course, that any deviation from the original plans would involve extra expense that we can't afford. Isn't it strange that, only a short time ago, the same city council was telling us that they wanted new council offices and if the council was to stay in its current buildings and upgrade them, it would cost £37.3m, whereas moving would cost £41.5m.

So renovate our beautiful Aslin Council House, and put some of the money saved to what the people of Derby really want! John Hudson