Latest news with #DerekLatham
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Fears plan for crumbling Belper Mills will be 'unviable'
Campaigners have said they fear plans to save the crumbling Belper Mills in Derbyshire will be too costly to carry Georgian mills, a key part of the Derwent Valley Mills Unesco World Heritage Site, are in "poor condition" having stood largely derelict for Moors, chair of Our Belper Mills, said he would be "delighted to see a viable redevelopment started", but was concerned the repair bill could thwart plans to rejuvenate the site. First Investment Real Estate Management (FI), owners of the site, said plans would be submitted to Amber Valley Borough Council (AVBC) in the coming months, and added it had been "proactively engaging with key stakeholders throughout". An application for the site to convert the mills into apartments as well as ground floor commercial uses was submitted in 2018 but not determined. Mr Moors, chair of the group, which is part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site (DVMWHS) Partnership, said the site was "a blot on the landscape" but was wary that any scheme brought forward needs to not only be respectful of the heritage of the buildings, but also be 2024, Derbyshire County Council commissioned an independent report on behalf of the DVMWHS which found the heritage costs would put the overall redevelopment about £20m in the report found it was "unlikely" any scheme for the North and East Mills buildings could be "delivered by the private sector alone".Our Belper Mills said FI contest this, as savings would be made by them carrying out most of the restoration work in house. FI did not wish to comment on this when approached by the BBC. Derek Latham, chair of DVMWHS member Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust, said he was "sceptical" over the redevelopment plans, which he described as "unviable"."Since 2003 we've tried to put pressure on for basic repairs to be undertaken and they haven't been done," he added. FI said it was "very proud" to be investing in Belper Mills by developing "a complex proposal" to be submitted later this year.A spokesperson said: "We are in the process of finalising a revised heritage report with Historic England and have been proactively engaging with key stakeholders throughout."The proposals and evidence will then be assessed by Unesco to receive its decision on our plans for Belper Mills, which we hope will happen over the next few months."AVBC said it will determine the application for "a very important part of our country's industrial heritage".A spokesperson added: "The council is keen to work closely with the owner to ensure its protection."
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Plan to restore derelict Derby Hippodrome gets cash boost
An £8,750 grant has been awarded to fund the next stage towards restoring a derelict theatre in Derby city Grade II listed former Derby Hippodrome in Green Lane opened in 1914 and was last used as a bingo hall before it shut in Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT) says it is determined to bring the building back to life as an alternative music venue and the grant from the Theatres Trust will be used to fund a condition group's chairman Derek Latham, said it was "another significant step in our journey towards getting this building re-used." DHBT, which hopes to create something similar to the famous Nottingham venue Rock City, has previously acknowledged the project faces as obstacles as the building is privately-owned, in need of urgent repairs and its listed status restricts what changes can be made to it. Mr Latham said the group was "delighted to receive the grant."We can't afford initially to put the whole thing back to where it was in terms of restoration so the question is how can we use it as early as possible in the repair and restoration process?" he said."We have posited the concept of just using the shell: making the shell safe then repairing some of the front of house buildings - and there are three storeys of those - so it can become a venue, possibly even without a roof at first so it is an open-air venue or maybe with just a simple tension [fabric] roof on the top.""This grant enables us to employ architects and a quantity survey to be able to look at the feasibility of that and to come up with defined, very clear solutions, that can practically be achieved so that way we know we can meet regulations... and make it safe for public assembly."Now we have the Becketwell Arena open at the other end of the street, it seems very appropriate to get this smaller venue up, which will fill the gap between the big new venue and the smaller venues that already exist in Derby." The Theatres Trust - the national advisory and advocacy body for theatres - said the Hippodrome was "a rare survival from an early stage in the crossover period when buildings were being constructed for both live theatre and cinema".A spokesperson said the building was substantially damaged in 2008 when repair works by the then-owner resulted in the partial demolition of the trust has awarded the money through its Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities executive Joshua McTaggart said: "We are thrilled to support 10 of these fantastic theatres with essential strategic projects that will lay the foundations for their revival." A Derby City Council spokesperson said: "Derby's historic buildings are important to our city centre, and we have been working closely with organisations like DHBT and Historic England to tackle owners who let them fall into disrepair."We value their expertise and dedication and will continue to support them in conserving Derby's historic environment."
