New investigation into Derby Assembly Rooms rebuild

A new council-led investigation will look into why Derby's Assembly Rooms has stood empty for almost a decade.

The venue has been unused since a fire caused major damage in 2014.

Derby City Council was awarded £20m of levelling up funding earlier this year to demolish and replace the building with a new theatre.

But leader Baggy Shanker fears the project will cost millions more to complete and the review will now look into options for the future.

It will also examine the challenges that have prevented redevelopment of the site over the past 10 years and why the project was changed from a new build to a refurbishment and back again, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Shanker was asked about the Assembly Rooms on his first day as council leader in May and said: "On the day [the government's levelling up allocation] was announced when there were photos being taken I urged caution.

"£20m will not cut it to replace the Assembly Rooms. £20m is probably a fraction of what is needed. In my view it was the wrong bid to put in."

It is hoped a draft report of the investigation will be published in early 2024, with recommendations and a final report to the council's cabinet in March.

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