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Designers come up with new plan for Jury's Inn
03 December 2007
Designers of Derby's 11-storey Jury's Inn hotel have come up with a radical new plan for the building after being sent back to the drawing board.
Plans for the 226-bedroom hotel with 89 apartments, a casino and restaurant have still not been considered by the city council after they were dropped from the planning agenda last week.
When having their say on the hotel, residents and urban regeneration company Derby Cityscape raised concerns about the original design, which would stand on the prominent former site of Bridgegate BMW, in King Street.
Cityscape said it felt the original designs for the tall tower were not distinctive enough and that the light-brown brick facing for the building was unsuitable.
It led designer Urban Innovations to have a rethink.
Designer Tony Stevens, from the company, said: "We were concerned this was a very important project for Derby and there are a number of sensitive issues in relation to the site being close to St Mary's and adjoining the conservation areas and the World Heritage Site.
"From that perspective, we know the design has to respond to those sensitivities.
"The first design needed some further consideration and the council came back with their concerns and we have responded with a revised design which we think certainly makes a big impact. It is a large building and the design is sensitive to the surroundings and adds to the northern end of the city."
The actual height or number of bedrooms in the building has not changed, despite concerns from residents that it could be overbearing.
But Derby Cityscape's urban design manager, Nick Corbett, said the new plan was an improvement. He said: "We have been working with Jury's architects and city council officers to change the rather functional design that was originally proposed, into something more bespoke and fitting for Derby.
"The height of the building hasn't changed, but the revised plans incorporate more sympathetic use of materials and design features, strengthening Derby's identity.
"Green copper is now proposed as one of the facing materials, and copper spires will greet the skyline in a more sophisticated way. Copper is already used on historic buildings such as the Market Hall and the Council House."
Mr Corbett said Cityscape wanted to ensure that design excellence for new buildings and restoration of old buildings was at the heart of Derby's renewal.
He said: "We need to be bold but we also need to be thoughtful. If we're to have any new tall buildings they've got to be in the right place and they've got to add something positive to Derby's skyline."
Article courtesy of Kirsty Green Derby Evening telegraph