Unique raised cycle track hailed as a 'fantastic' facility for city

NATIONAL sports organisations and Derby clubs gave a rapturous welcome to designs for a £20 million sports arena at Pride Park.

Architects FaulknerBrowns and Derby City Council presented the designs for the multi-use centre to be built on land at Pride Park last night.

From left, Derby Triathlon Club chairman Simon Rolfs, architects Nigel Tye and Mike Hall, and Paul Robinson, director of neighbourhoods for Derby City Council.
The designs for the interior of the sports arena, which would include a raised cycle track and sports courts in the centre.

Within its metallic-clad sculptured exterior – described by architect Nigel Tye as an iPod aesthetic – will be an Olympic-standard velodrome.

That track will be raised off the ground to the first floor level in a unique system designed to make the sports space at its centre easy to access and visible when people enter the huge building.

That central core will also be able to accommodate different sports – the equivalent of three basketball courts or 12 badminton courts.

Outside the arena, there will also be a closed road circuit for cycle training and running.

Cycling groups at the presentation in the Assembly Rooms last night said they were "ecstatic" about the potential but praise came from other quarters too.

Anne Henderson, from England Netball, said: "I think this is a fantastic opportunity and will allow us to look at having major events here in Derby."

The arena is half of the council's £50 million leisure strategy, which will eventually include a new Olympic-sized swimming pool in the city centre.

Simon Rolfs, from Derby Triathlon Club, said it was an exciting time for his sport. With the only other comparable velodromes being in Manchester or London, he has never been able to cycle on such a track.

"We have to do all our training on the road because we don't have a closed loop, whereas we will use the velodrome and the outdoor closed circuit and I think this will encourage people into the sport, particularly on the back of the Olympics," he said.

Jim Crew, chairman of Derby Mercury cycling group, praised the council for getting FaulknerBrowns, which designed velodromes in both Manchester and Holland, on board.

Mr Crew, a Rolls-Royce worker, said: "That showed people the council were serious about this. We are a hi-tech city and when businesses are looking to recruit staff or the university is looking for students, those potential employees look at what city's have to offer and this will help attract them to Derby."