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CITY SOLUTIONS
The new Eagle Centre, The Joseph Wright
Sixth Form Centre, Riverlights project and inner
ring-road are all going to make huge differences to the
city. However, I wonder if any of these suggestions are
feasible:
* When vacant in a
few years, the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary site (once the
hideous A&E block is demolished) would be an ideal
site for the new Council Offices. It provides ample
space. good communication links, a central location and a
raised position for a suitably grand and imposing
building.
* Why not build the
Quad on the Duckworth Square site? The Quad is a much
needed, innovative and exciting project. However, it
would be misplaced in the Market Place, this area should
be left alone.
* Ensure that either
Debenhams or Cornmarket M&S (or both) are occupied by
a department store once those two move. The anchor stores
in the new Eagle Centre need to be balanced out by
anchors in the north of the city centre.
* The new inner ring
road should include a large traffic island at the
junction of Burton Road/Normanton Road/Green
Lane/Babington Lane. As one of the highest points in the
city, this would be an ideal location for a tall
structure (tower, mast, memorial etc) to add to the
skyline and create an identity for that area (and the
city as a whole).
* Ensure the old
Magistrates' Court in Bold Lane is restored and utilised,
not allowed to rot. This applies to St Helen's House and
St Werburgh's Church too.
* The old Full
Street police station site and court provide an ideal
location for tourist development. The Silk Mill is
important as a gateway to the Derwent Mills World
Heritage Site, there are vast opportunities here.
* Move the Queen
Victoria statue from the DRI grounds (where she is
hidden) to Victoria Street, to which she gave her name.
There is a large space outside Boots in The Wardwick
(opposite Revolution and Coyote Wild) just waiting for a
statue.
These big ideas and small changes could make a big
difference. Matthew Tarn
It takes a down-to-earth WestEnder to bring
a bit of common sense to those matters that have been
causing the citizens of Derby to become hot under the
collar. If you want to know where the new bus station
should be sited, all you have to do is to go to the top
of the monstrous new multi-storey car park and look over
to cars parked on land between Traffic Street and
Liversage Street. That's where the bus station ought to
be built. It's handy for the railway station, it would be
just across from the new shopping centre and it would
keep the engines away from that most precious of natural
features - the river which runs through the city.
And what about the river and the idea that swanky bars
and clubs might be built next to it? Well, as I walk past
the city's new pubs and bars on my way to do a bit of
Sunday morning shopping, my experience is to expect pools
of vomit, kebab remains and a tide of cigarette packets
and chip papers. So, no, that idea is not good enough to
match up to the beauty of the Derwent. Whatever it looks
like as an artist's impression, the reality will be a
let-down. Peace and tranquillity are what we need there,
and the possibility for us Derby folk to sit and
contemplate the beauty of the scene even if we haven't a
lot of money to spend. So, it's obvious, isn't it?
The new library has to be sited there. I know a city
library for the 21st century won't bring in as much
revenue, but there are some things you can't put a price
on. And then the Museum and Art Gallery could expand into
the Central Library and all that stuff that has to be
kept in storage could come out at last. It's all about
making connections. But making connections isn't the
council's strong point, is it? In the name of Connecting
Derby, the council wants to disconnect Brook Street from
the Inner Ring Road. What kind of connection is that? It
means that all those motorists who are deprived of using
that route will add to the queues waiting at all the
traffic lights at Five Lamps or on Agard Street. E.
Morgan
Looking out from the Assembly Rooms towards
Pride Park, I can only wonder what our councillors are
doing to our city. First, the monstrosity of a car park
on the Cockpit, then attempts to eat into Bass's Rec and
swiftly on to the planned over-development called
Riverlights. Finally, they want to fill in the one large
open space left in the city centre with the new Quad
centre. Derby needs development, and it needs a new arts
centre with stunning architecture. But it doesn't need
this kind of ill-conceived overdevelopment in the Market
Place. There are many areas of the city that are crying
out for this kind of facility to rejuvenate them.
A Quad centre in Duckworth Square, Cathedral Road or Full
Street (to give but a few examples) would be far more
appropriate, and would offer the opportunity to create an
open setting for what should be a stunning piece of
architecture. Come on Derby City Council, you want us to
be a top 10 city - go and look at a few of the great ones
around the world. You will see that it is a combination
of excellent architecture, superb cultural facilities and
open space that makes them great. Steve Curr
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