Derby College takes over empty Carter and Carter building in Pride Park

By zhawley zena hawley zhawley@derbytelegraph.co.uk

ONE of the largest buildings in Pride Park has been taken over by Derby College to house its business arm.

The 90,000 sq ft building was originally intended to be an education centre for training organisation Carter and Carter.

But the Notts company went bust before it could be used and the £14m building in The Point was put up for sale in March 2008.

No buyer has been found and instead a deal has been struck for Derby College to take a 20-year lease.

The centre will complement the college's recently-opened £48m Roundhouse vocational campus, also at Pride Park.

The college plans to name the building the Roundhouse Johnson Annexe, after former 19th-century Derby Loco Works superintendent Samuel Waite Johnson.

It will be the college's commercial flagship site and the headquarters of Corporate College – the dedicated business arm which works with more than 1,000 major employers.

It will have conference and training facilities and could offer a restaurant and coffee lounge for workers from neighbouring businesses.

The centre will also house the construction and motor vehicle curriculum areas, currently based at Mason's Place in Chaddesden.

Administrative and support services will relocate to Pride Park from Prince Charles Avenue in Mackworth.

College principal David Croll said: "This is another important milestone for the college in our commitment to developing vocational learning both for young people and for businesses.

"The building was originally built with training in mind and is, therefore, the perfect location for us."

The lease of the building was handled by commercial property specialists Rigby & Co.

Director Russell Rigby said: "We are delighted to have secured this property for Derby College.

Heather Dixon, property partner at Flint Bishop, which dealt with the contract, added: "This was a complex deal, which was completed in a difficult market."

The lease deal marks the end of a difficult period which followed the death of Carter and Carter company director Philip Carter in a helicopter crash in 2007.

Within 10 months, and after the building should have opened to Carter and Carter car industry students, the company went into administration.

Administrators Deloitte were called in after banks decided to pull the plug on a bid to restructure the company.