New images of Riverlights (with pictures)
NEW images of what the £100m Riverlights development will look like have been exclusively revealed to the Derby Telegraph.
Building is under way on the project, in the Morledge, which will feature two hotels, a casino, restaurants and bus station.
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IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD: Computer images put the Riverlights scheme in context, showing it next to Derby Crown Court.
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.
Riverlights has put together two computer-generated images to include in the promotion material, shown for the first time here.
One 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 other 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.
David Osborne, director of Riverlights Ltd, said: "I'm very pleased with these new images, which I feel give people a good idea of what the completed project will look like.
"I think if people look at these pictures – and then compare it to where we are at with the construction work – they will begin to visualise it better.
"The images also show how Riverlights will fit in with its surroundings."
Mr Osborne said he was hopeful that the new brochure could attract more businesses to the project.
He said: "It will be a useful marketing tool.
"We already have two major hotel chains signed up in the Hilton Hampton and Holiday Inn.
"Hopefully it will help in attracting more big names to the development."
But the images do not show the new bus station element of the development, which will be on the side facing the Riverside car park.
Last month, it was revealed that bus passengers would have to wait until next year to use the station.
Derby City Council had hoped that people would be able to start using the new station by October.
But they feared timetables were running too close to the busy Christmas shopping period and now the station will not become fully operational until the end of January.
Mr Osbourne insisted that the project remained on schedule.
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.
Riverlights had been dogged by delays and setbacks ever since it gained planning permission in 1997.
Work finally began on the project just over a year ago.
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by Christopher, Derby
Saturday, July 18 2009, 9:51AM
“On the old bus station, this was actually recognised by an international organisation for Art Deco as a fine example of Art Deco architecture and well worth visiting Derby to see it. Designes by Charles Aslin, this was the first bus statione ever built in the UK - another Derby first! The station had reached a level of neglect that made us all sick of the place, me included, and we ere promised a new bigger bus station with modern amenities - er? Well where is this bigger bus station, the old one handled a thousand buses per day during the 1970s (official Derby Corporation figures) and the number nearly doubled when the bus park opened. The new bus "terminal" as it is officially called, is designed to handle 28 buses at a time and it uses a design that has been rejected by all of the major bus companies - cities like Leicester and Nottingham bus terminals have similar layouts and are used by local services. Why do you think the Council invested in all the new bus shelters on the Morledge at £11000 each? These are permanent stops and all the buses that use these will continue to do so.
I cannot see any of the millions of Art Deco fans from around the world coming here to see Riverlights, in fact it has zero tourist appeal.”
by Joanne, Derbys
Friday, July 17 2009, 12:19PM
“Christopher- I do hope your well informed comments have some impact!”
by Christopher, Derby
Friday, July 17 2009, 12:04PM
“When I was a 12 year old child I used to get excited about the plans that were being drawn up for Derby at that time (I'm talking about the late 1960s) with high rise service flats (now called apartments) office blocks and all new and shiny glass and steel towers. I would expect any kid with a lego set to get enthusiastic about designs like Riverlights that could easily have come out of a Lego box, as did as a child. As I grew up I realised that our heritage is more important than the insane ideas being put forward by the architects of the period.
It is now recognised world wide that our hertage has great importance, according to the secretary of state and English Heritage, our historic sites and buildings give each village, city and town its unique identity and the preservation of these sites and buildings helps us to retain our National identity and are a permanent reminder of where we came from, our home, and are vital to the ongoing education of future generations. It is NOT about nostalgia and old Ford Cortinas it is more to do with education and national identity and pride. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Has designated 24 sites in the UK and several thousand world wide that represent significan periods in a country's development, Derby has the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site. The river frontage in Derby, must by international law, abide by guidelines set out by UNESCO.
My comments about Derby being a dull uninteresting town are what I see Derby becoming unless we stop the destruction that has been taking place for more than 50 years which has cost us whole swathes of vital components that made up the city's unique identity only to be replaced by uniformly boring grey metal clad boxes and glass towers.
I am not saying NO to any development I am saying that the developments are in the wrong place and that the historic heart of our city should be retained, the new offices and flats should be built outside the centre.”
by Joanne, Derbys
Friday, July 17 2009, 9:59AM
“Mark, just to put the record straight- it's not just the older generation who value the history of their towns and cities.
Also -we might be a lot younger than you think!!!
I believe "regeneration" has to fit in with protecting Derby's precious heritage, which unlike modern buildings, is irreplacable.”
by Agree with Mark, Derby
Thursday, July 16 2009, 2:47PM
“I totally agree with Mark, the city is buzzing at night and aside from a very rare few incidents, Derby is also a very safe place to visit if compared to the majority of other cities in the UK.
This riverlights scheme looks a lot better than an empty space and with the lack of funding in the economy it would be too expensive to restore this area to something like the Roundhouse.
Also agreeing with the Cortina arguement, things change and i would rather look at a new and modern building than something really ugly like the Assembly Rooms, Old Full Stree police station, Duckworth Square.... etc.
This development will also bring jobs in the city, and judging by the other news today its welcome.”