Plans submitted for major Derby entertainment venue

A full planning application has been submitted for a new 3,500 capacity entertainment and events venue as part of the £200m Becketwell regeneration scheme in Derby.The new performance venue from developer St James Securities will be located on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub and Laurie House offices.It will be a fully flexible, scalable space capable of staging concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows, musical theatre, conferences and exhibitions.The main auditorium will have a maximum (seated and standing) capacity of 3,500 and offer a range of different event configurations, including a fully seated layout for up to 2,100.Along with a concert and entertainment programme, the venue will also attract a range of business events.It will be owned by Derby City Council and run by ASM Global, a provider of entertainment, sports and exhibition experiences around the world.It is anticipated the venue will host more than 200 cultural and commercial events each year and attract an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby. It is also expected to create in excess of 200 jobs, generate more than £10m per year for the area and increase levels of investment in surrounding areas of the city centre.The formal submission follows a virtual public consultation event held last month.Work is already underway on phase one of the Becketwell scheme, which includes the construction of 259 build to rent apartments on the site of the former Debenhams store on Victoria Street and a new public square, with completion by Spring 2023.Subject to planning consent being granted, work on the performance venue is set to commence in early 2022, with handover to the operator in 2024.