St James Securities has submitted plans for a new 3,500-capacity entertainment and events venue at Becketwell, Derby.
The scheme will be located on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub and Laurie House offices, at the heart of the wider mixed-use Becketwell development.
It will be a fully flexible, scalable space capable of staging concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows, musical theatre, conferences and exhibitions. The main auditorium will have a maximum capacity of 3,500 and offer a range of different event configurations, including a fully seated layout for up to 2,100.
The site will be owned by Derby City Council and run by ASM Global.
The planning application is set to be considered at the October meeting of the Derby City Council planning committee, with work on site expected to begin in early 2022 subject to consent being granted.
Oliver Quarmby, managing director of St James Securities, said: “A new large-scale venue is a key component of Derby’s masterplan for the city centre, which has been developed collaboratively between the public and private sectors, and we are tremendously excited to be working on this ambitious scheme to bring an outstanding, modern performance venue to the city.
“We have created a great scheme which will fill a significant gap in the city’s cultural landscape. This flexible venue will cater for major music and comedy acts as well as theatre content. The conference and events capability will support the growth of the region’s business community.”
He added: “The performance venue is set to ‘turbocharge’ the entire Becketwell scheme, allowing us to bring forward a new multi-storey car park and hotel, and will be key to the future reinvigoration and repositioning of Derby city centre.”
Matthew Holmes, deputy leader of Derby City Council, said: “This marks another important milestone in Derby’s recovery plan and culture-led regeneration. The city is turning a corner, and in the not-too-distant future we will have a state-of-the-art events and entertainment venue.
“The progress made shows that Derby is serious about building back better, levelling up and securing City of Culture. Our local economy will be strengthened and diversified by this ambitious venue. It will be a great addition to Derby as a destination and support local businesses.”
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