Derby City Council proposes £20m arena
Plans have been submitted for a £20 million sports and concert arena in Derby, BBC News reports.
Derby City Council, who submitted the plans, envisage a 5,000-capacity concert hall, a velodrome and various sports courts within the building. They claim it would replace some older, poor condition sports centres.
Should the scheme get the go ahead, the complex will also comprise a gym, corporate function rooms, a café and an outside cycle track which would wind around a nature reserve.
Such an ambitious and varied scheme might open up design, planning and architecture jobs, alongside construction and engineering roles, which could be good news for local job hunters.
To be located next to the city's Pride Park Stadium, the arena will form part of a larger leisure complex which ideally would open to the public in February 2014.
The site earmarked is already owned by the Council - an existing park and ride facility. New spaces will be constructed to replace those that are lost.
Enthusing about the proposals, Claire Davenport, director of leisure and culture told Construction Enquirer: "The multi-sport Arena will provide the city with fantastic modern facilities to be proud of and will form part of our lasting Olympic legacy for the people of Derby.
"Our commitment to transforming Derby's leisure facilities will play a key role in the future economic growth of the city not to mention benefiting generations to come."