Proposals for new Derby theatre at Assembly Rooms site

Derby Theatre said it was outgrowing its current site

A new theatre could be coming to Derby as part of the council's bid to revamp the fire-hit Assembly Rooms.

Derby City Council is considering a new home for Derby Theatre on the site of the former entertainment venue, which has stood vacant since a blaze in 2014.

The authority hopes the scheme could help create a "new cultural heart" for the city.

Derby Theatre said it was "rapidly" outgrowing its current space inside a shopping centre.

The fire started in the plant room on the roof of the Assembly Rooms car park

Councillor Matthew Holmes, deputy leader of the council, said: "We are still at the exploratory stage of this potential project, but creating a new home for Derby Theatre into a brand new purpose-built facility is a fantastic opportunity.

"It would have a truly transformational impact on Derby city centre and compliment the new entertainment and events arena being built at Becketwell."

The next step is to fund an outline business case and options appraisal, which the council said will allow it to bid for "critical" external cash.

The venue has been cited as an example of "brutalist" architecture

It is working with the University of Derby, which owns the theatre.

Sarah Brigham, chief executive and artistic director of the theatre, which is located inside Derbion, said: "We love our current home but pre-pandemic our audiences and community engagement were on a steep increase and so we are rapidly growing out of the current footprint.

"These initial talks to place us in the heart of the city opposite QUAD and a stones throw away from the Museum of Making and Deda means we will be creating a cultural quarter which we think will help the city to regenerate and make the Market Place a buzzing location once again for entertainment and leisure."

The council's cabinet will be asked to approve the initial funding for the business case on 6 October.