Glass extension plans for Derby Cathedral would pull more visitors
A GLASS extension planned for the rear of Derby Cathedral
would help to entice even more people to that area of the city,
according to the company behind the vision.
Derby Cityscape, which has unveiled artist's impressions of
the revamp, said that the back and sides of the Cathedral
currently attracted anti-social behaviour due to a lack of
activities.
But Nick Corbett, the urban regeneration company's urban
design manager, believes a glass extension at the building's
rear entrance, linking to the new-look Cathedral Green, would
help to make the area more attractive.
He said: “The Cathedral itself is a landmark that naturally
in a city people gravitate towards, so the idea is that, when
they get here and have looked around the Cathedral, there is a
range of things to do around the building.
“The building is Grade I-listed and it will be a huge
challenge to build this extension.”
The extension would lead on to Full Street and is just one
of Derby Cityscape's designs for developing the streets and
squares between the city's Cathedral Quarter, the Derwent
Valley Mills World Heritage Site, the River Derwent and the
planned new Riverlights bus station.
This week members of the public and staff at Derby
Cathedral, who had no input into the plans, were given the
chance to see the proposals for the first time.
Clergy at the Cathedral said they were now keen to find out
what people thought of the extension.
The Venerable Christopher Cunliffe, acting dean of the
Cathedral, said: “We are delighted that Cityscape has such
positive aspirations for this area of the city and we are
largely supportive of the proposals.
“We were told last week about the exhibition and so I went
along.
“I haven't had any feedback from the congregation yet but I
was certainly very interested in the ideas.”
Yesterday, the plans met with a mixed reaction in Derby.
Jim Scott, 31, of Five Lamps, said: “It looks good and I'll
be happy to see it. Some people might say they don't want
modern things but it will bring a different look to the
area.”
But others were not so impressed.
Jen Macfarlane, 24, an occupational therapist living in the
city centre, said: “I don't know if changing the cathedral from
having a little door to a big door will make much
difference.”
Bill Kenyon, 76, and his wife, Anne, 73, of Allestree,
former lecturers at Wilmorton College, were happy with the way
the Cathedral is now.
Mr Kenyon said: “The Cathedral is enough for us. We don't
need all these new things.”
The Cathedral is now proposing to consult members of its
congregation on the plans.
Funding for the plans would also have to be found before any
work could go ahead and the cost is not yet known.
5 Comments
by JC, Derby
Thursday, July 17 2008, 2:44PM
“Wow... the cityscape plans just get better and better...! Hmmm... I'm all for regneration of the run down parts of the city, but not attaching a giant greenhouse to the side of the cathedral! That bloke reckons it will draw people into the city... no it won't. Who does cityscape employ?!! ... Look at Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham even... what attracts people to those cities apart from shopping? ... Museums, and art galleries, places of interest... derby has none of that, and what it does has it doesn't do anything about it! Sort it out! End Rant!”
by Philip, Derby
Thursday, July 17 2008, 1:52PM
“I agree with Chris about Derby's amazing history, not only the Cathedral but the City in gereral. How about Mary Queen of Scots being under house arrest in Derby. She was great friends of the Babbingtons. The end of the Jacobite rebellion in Derby, which also stopped the invasion of the French in the south, planned to coincide with the success of the Bonnie Prince. The great lock out in at the silk mill. Arkwright who is trumpetted by Nottingham but came from Derbyshire. The list goes on. City scape and the City council just do not appear to have grasped the opportunites to put Derby on the map. What ever new development goes on that area for goodness sake have something done with the Bennetts car park . WHAT AN EYESORE!!”
by richard, Derby
Thursday, July 17 2008, 1:40PM
“No no no no no....what are they trying to do here? The only way to add to the cathedral would be in traditional stone etc...not some glorified sun house. You leave old as old and only maintain it...not try and make it funky and modern.....the modern look today will look dated in ten years time. Just look at the assembly rooms and how well it blends into the what was derbyshire building society...you can hardly see the join!!!”
by Joanne, Derbys
Thursday, July 17 2008, 10:42AM
“I am very surprised that staff members of the Cathedral were not initially consulted.
I am not sure what I think about this idea until I see more-but I do greatly sympathiize with Chris' viewpoint.
I feel it going to take a great deal more than bolting a conservatory on to the Cathedral to improve Derby's interior. That being -to maintain and create much more green space (traffic free,) and PRESERVE Derby's heritage buildings. Aesthetically, Derby city centre has been decimated
by ugly new developments.
This needs to be counteracted by well designed and aesthetically pleasing buildings and spaces that constitute a WHOLE vision- not fragmented bits and pieces.
Just as a comparison -I feel Nottingham manages to combine it's heritage architecture with new developments very successfully.
It's the beauty, function and accessibility of a city that attracts visitors.
Please consult the public at every available opportunity-
eg via the DET! Jo.”
by Chris, Derby
Thursday, July 17 2008, 10:22AM
“Okay I am not permitted to criticise Cityscape? (deleted post) But I still think that a glass conservatory bolted on to our Cathedral will look completely out of place and ruin the fine architectural appeal of the building. What next, a proposal to paint the tower a bright attractive colour - to be quite honest it would not surprise me in the least if Cityscape or Marketing Derby came up with such a scheme.”