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Wednesday 30th March 2006
Work could start on Derby's troubled £83m Riverlights development next month, after it has been taken over by a new firm.
The scheme to revamp the bus station and surrounding area is now being run by Riverlights Limited after MetroHolst went into administration.
Wednesday 25th January 2006
At today's first full meeting of Derby City Council in 2006, opposition parties are hoping to force the ruling Labour group to do a U-turn.
The Conservatives will formally call for the re-opening of Derby bus station but Derby City Council's cabinet says the bus station will definitely stay closed.
Whilst admitting the regeneration of the bus station area is necessary Richard Smalley, deputy leader of the Conservatives told BBC Radio Derby: "Of course it's practical to re-open it. More than ever we need to put people onto public transport and this disarray we're currently suffering in the city we need to correct." He also said Derby's economy is being affected by the delay in the Riverlights project and that, until the problems with the developers MetroHolst had been resolved, the bus station should be re-opened to ensure the city's economic well-being.
But Chris Williamson, leader of the city council, said re-opening the existing station was a non-starter: "The initial surveys... have revealed there is extensive asbestos in the buildings and that brings on a number of considerable problems. [Also] the bus station is not under the control of the city council - it's the developer's responsibility.
"Furthermore, re-opening what is a very dark, dingy and unacceptable location for people to catch their buses wouldn't be practical, would entail significant costs and would provide people with a less good facility than is currently available through the temporary bus station created along the Morledge."
Councillor Williams also said developers MetroHolst are in discussions to find an alternative developer and are not now in position to take the project forward.
19th January 2006
There are hopes that a new developer can be found to take over the big regeneration of Derby's bus station in the next week or so. Work has been on hold at the site, since a director of the existing developer, Metroholst, fell ill.
The City Council's Deputy Leader Dave Roberts has told BBC Radio Derby they're actively looking for a new partner and says this time they need to make sure everything goes smoothly.
An artist's impression of 'Riverlights'
7th January 2006
The £90 million Riverlights redevelopment has been put on hold.
It emerged yesterday that the project - which includes the area around Derby's old bus station - can't continue for the time being because one of the directors of developers Metroholst has been taken ill.
The leader of Derby City Council Chris Williamson has now admitted the bus station was closed too early. Councillor Williamson made the concession as it emerged that the whole project is now in doubt and that there's no date set for the beginning of a planned huge facelift for the site.
What is Riverlights?
Riverlights is the project which will change the face of the area around Derby's River Gardens and bus station. Here's our at-a-glance guide to the development.
Riverlights in brief
'Riverlights' is the name of the project which is designed to re-develop part of the riverside area in the city centre and build a new bus station for Derby. The area is owned by Derby City Council, which is working with developers MetroHolst.
Where is it?
The Riverlights project will take in the waterfront area between the Derby Courts Centre and the Cock Pitt island.
What will change?
The bus station (dating from the 1930s) will be demolished and rebuilt. New buildings will also appear and will include:
- offices
- restaurants
- cafes
- night clubs
- a casino
- a 120-bedroom hotel
- between 150 and 300 apartments
In addition, the road layout around the Cock Pitt island will need to be altered.
What will it look like?
Use the 'Riverlights Gallery' link on the right of this page to see artist's impressions of the project.
When will it happen?
Outline planning permission for the project was granted in 1997 and the scheme was approved by the Government in April 2004.
Re-development of the bus station is now expected to start at the end of August 2005. This will involve constructing a temporary bus station around the area of the Morledge, demolition of the current bus station. Construction of Riverlights buildings will begin before the end of 2005. The project is due for completion in early 2007.
How can I find out more?
Use the links on the right to visit websites of other organisations involved in 'Riverlights'.
You said:
Nick
Bring on the riverlights. Its about time Derby was bought upto speed, Nottingham is a pleasure to be in, much more modern and cosmopolitan. Derby is depressing and droll, I've lived here for 20 odd years and its never changed, with the exception of the Eagle centre being re-done.
Phil
I can not believe there are calls to re-open that dump they call a bus station. Wake up Derby and move on. The roof top protest is a joke. A critical path analysis of the arguments being put forward for the retention of this dump do not make any sense at all. The silent majority of Derby quite happily spend leisure time in far better places such as Nottingham, Burton and dare I say it Stoke. At the moment Derby is a nothing TOWN with nothing to offer anyone. The City council continue to fail the people of Derby by not providing an infrastructure to support a viable commercial, cultural and recreation centre for it 240,000 inhabitants. There if a far better choice of things to do in much smaller towns than Derby. The City Council should be ashamed of themselves. Lets put an end to it and hand back our City charter to the Queen and apologise to her for failing to live up to the title. Pathetic.
Glen Fanand
Shameless. The conservatives are simply trying to make political gains. I knew it was too much to expect that the council, as a whole, would pull together, show true leadership and pull out all the stops to get the developmnet back on track. It is badly needed. P.S. Where are the Cityscape people, they trumpet when all is well....
sean
I sort of agree with john h why dont we take some of it (i.e. cafe part )to crich tramway and that would sort out the protesters, but one things for sure the riverlights has to go ahead and i would like to see it done bye a local business man with local jobs involved, we need the riverlights folks to bring derby upto date, derby is really lagging behind,take a look at leeds...new and old and birmingham and manchester derby needs to move with the times.
James - Derby
DERBY needs a new bus station! Derby is so far behind, why do you think EM Airport called itself NOTTINGHAM, even though it is situated in Derby. WAKE UP!
anon2005
the cock-up of the century for derby lol, why close the bus station if they arent going to demolish it for months, how stupid is this, look at the havoc it has created in the area. Certainly a lack of bus shelters for one. Of course derby needs an upto date image including a bus station, i dont remember them asking for the public design suggestions. Derby needs to attract not the opposite and end up going to the likes of nottingham. we certainly need to "freshen up" derby and revive it. i think we need some more entertainment features such as and ice rink, i always think roller world is for young kids, lol why dont they add another couple of levels to the eagle centre market and indeed the market hall, so that many more business can open up, i hate the open part of the market place upstairs as its wasted space.
Roger
Tried to travel from Chesterfield to Burton by bus. What a farce! Dumped in the street, no-one to ask where the other bus went from & a depressing walk in the rain. Bus station shut too early - I'll say! An old bus station is better than NONE AT ALL, travel to Barnsley & see how it SHOULD be done!
Dan
Please don't let our lovely town become another Nottingham, with development comes problems, please try and make Derby nicer, not just more expensive.
John H
I don't use the buses nowadays, but I do remember the bus station, when it was in its heyday, when it wasn't covered in grafitti, or smelled of goodnes knows what, I don't go clubbing, I'm a bit old for that, but I'm not against progress. What I do object to is our heritage being swept aside. We have something with the bus station that is unique, not another on like it in the country. If we are to have a nice new comfortable bus station, then thats lovely, but perhaps this delay could give the powers that be, time to negotiate exactly how the existing structure could be saved for posterity, perhaps at Crich Tramway Village, not all of it of course, but certainly the facade, upper deck cafe and perhaps one platform. It would complement the old Derby Assembly rooms a treat. Perhaps this is the answer to keep everyone happy.
Jane - Derby
The Council has now admitted that the bus station was closed too early. If work is not due to start this year why is it not possible to open part of it up again to ease the congestion at 5.00 p.m. every day. Its an absolute shambles! All it really needs is a good revamp - why bother with all the bars and restaurants if there are no takers for the proposed units. It would have been really good to have had a cinema there but that is now earmarked for the Eagle Centre. Can't Derby get anything right! As for the quad centre -that will be another interesting point of discussion in the future!
Glyn
What a farce! Typical of local government in this country and, i suspect, masking a much deeper malaise!!!
Glen Fanand
This development must happen, cities are organic, and either grow or decline, Derby has declined steadily for a long time. Westfield have shown fantastic faith in our city, but the shopping improvements will need the Riverlights devlopnment and others to make Derby a more desirable place. ALL of the City Councillors must show leadership now, make this non party political issue, mobilise Citscape and make it happen.
philip
i find it very strange that the illness of one man can stop a project as big as riverlights,sensible planning it seems is lacking,did anyone ask the people?if they did i certainly did not know about it, has some bodys pocket been lined, i wonder!!!
indy
Riverlights needs to be done!!! it will benefit the city, and the people. Derby is a very out of date city at the moment compared to leeds, nottingham,reading etc.. that bus station is disgusting out of date!! were not in 30s anymore people!!!!
Chris
As a daily user of the bus station, I'm all for the riverlights project. It's for people like me this development is proposed. The bus station at the moment is a DUMP. I agree that we don't want an obscene energy guzzling monstrousity, but objections from 'astromers' are laughable! Who peers through a telescope in the city centre? Am I to be subjected to daily misery at the cold, windy, graffiti-ridden excuse for the heart of Derby's public transport so that a few people can indulge in their minority hobby? I must admit, thats the best laugh I've had in ages!
Mark Winter
Didn't we have all this 15/16years ago when DCC was supposed to be building a hotel just opposite the Assembly Rooms. I remeber the big eyesore that was left for us to look at then.
Mr S
Derby has been ruined over the years. This delay is a joke.
munir bashir
i just dont know what to say,when i saw the new look my eyes popped out,never seen anything better
natasha
leave derby the way it is all it needs is a good clean up
dave
this will look totally out of place in derby, seeing as its a bit of an eye sore in general.
Adz
Natasha, Its an eye sore, its old, its dangerous, and its dated.. what would paint do.. nothing compared to what the new one will be like.. warm, safe, new, it will give people a good impression of derby when they travel through on coaches!! get with the times!!
natasha
i disagree because this is a bus station that has been standing for many years why dont they just spend half a million and paint it all up
Christopher Johnson
Anything that will bring Derby into the 21st century will be a blessing. It needs a lot more re-development in every part of the city, not just the riverlights project.
sean in brazil
well overdue,allthou i live in south america i do come back to derby alot and find it well behind other city,s just look at leeds please some one go to leeds ,talk about a city that thing,s are happening lots of new build lots of job,s and lots of money coming in...derby is so behind other city,s riverlight,s and other projects that will change derby for good are well over due and what about hotels were are all the new hotels, and the riverside is a prime location for a new 5 star hotel come on derby your not a cattle town any more your a city be proud and look like a city........
Adam
I think its gonna be amazing when its done! It looks really good and its time Derby moved in line with other cities. you say about this light polution thing, and it being our money paying for it! how can it be when its not bein funded by the council.. silly ppl! And the 1 that said derby is full of tarts?! I think you need to get in with the times, theirs nothing wrong with people enjoying themselves, you may choose to read a book, they choose to go out.. roll on when the new eagle centre & bus station is open!!!
Ann NJ USA
I would agree that Derby Bus Station is in a sorry state, but I also remember when it was the best in Derbyshire if not the whole of England. It has been badly neglected over the years by the City Council and I expect Riverlights will be just as bad 30 years from now.
Mr Mark Milner
I think Riverlights is a fabulous project and might just bring Derby into the 21st century.
G Cooper
As a bus driver I welcome the Riverlights development. Derby is at the back of the queue when it comes to assisting passengers, eg times of buses etc. Hopefully we will see a pleasant surrounding with ample information, especially on a Sunday, with buses being able to get in and out of the City without the constant congestion we now experience, once this development is complete.
sally
i think that the new Riverlights project looks awesome and at last that horrible bus station will go. It is dirty and grimy, you would not go there after it gets dark as it is teeming with strange people. maybe they are the same strange people who think this decreped station is 'art'?
Neil Haggath, Derby
Maybe we do need a new bus station - but we really DON'T need some pointless "sculpture", or whatever it's supposed to be, deliberately spewing waste light into the sky! If you don't care about the views of astronomers, then think of it as an environmental issue; wasted light equals wasted energy, equals wasted public money and wasted fossil fuels.
Susan Boon
I think it will look alot better we need a new bus station
Neil Haggath, Derby
As another astronomer, I agree entirely with Steve's and Cathy's views. Derby is already one of the worst cities in the UK for light pollution. Remember Comet Hyakutake in 1996, the brightest comet seen for years? No, most people in Derby probably don't - because they couldn't SEE it! It was lost in all the bright orange murk which hangs over our city! So the last thing we need is yet another source of light pollution being built DELIBERATELY... For the record, the British Government now officially recognises light pollution as an environmental issue - so hopefully, the Council won't get away with this irresponsible stupidity.
Adam
Yes Rob, we do have a unique bus station, but it's unique in that it is dirty, horrible, an eyesore, etc. It gives Derby a bad name. The sooner it is knocked down and replaced with the Riverlights project the better.
Stephen Parkins
In this age of excessive light pollution what is that light spewing tower supposed to be. Do not attempt to make Derby appear to be a poor man's Vegas. The destruction of the night sky by such monstrosities goes against all (current)P.C. thinking and let's face it, that is always Derby City Council's main fixation.
dave coop
looks awesome!!!
Jenny
No way Rob! The bus station is a sad, desolate place which no amount of overhauling could improve. I say 'welcome Riverlights'
Rob
yes, Will Eley, finally Derby will look like every other city. we have a unique bus station and it should be overhauled and preserved. we are not in the 1960 anymore when councils could somehow get away with knocking down buildings of historical interest to build badly designed, poorly contructed buildings. in 20 years time the riverlights scheme will look as dated as the main centre or duckworth square did
Cathy Grimes
As an astronomer I am deeply concerned about the light pollution, especially from the illuminated sculpture on the right.
Tim, Derby
This might be a good looking development but come the weekend, the Derby slappers that fill our pubs and clubs now will just spoil it. Derby will be a better place the day people gain a bit of self-control, and know what morals are. Lets not invest in buildings, lets invest in educating these people who don't consider the cosequences of their actions.
Dave, Vancouver, Canada
I've been away from Derby for a while now but i'm lookin forward to seeing a few new developments. It's about time Derby stepped up a gear...theres so much potential and energy just waiting to have somewhere to go. I reckon the riverlights n Eagle Centre will be a damn good start.
Will Eley
Awesome stuff!!!!! Can't wait till it's finished - finally we're gonna look like a proper city!!
jim boots inverness florida
when i come over in july ill have to see it for myself. as much as i love england an the people i wouldnt miss it
Jay, DERBY
What can you say - it looks fantastic and anything is better and SAFER than it is now!
susan boon
I think it will make the bus station look alot better and safer than it is now.
