Derby Arena

Derby Arena

Exterior of Derby Arena
Location Pride Park, Derby
Owner Derby City Council
Operator Derby City Council
Capacity

1700 (Velodrome)

5500 (Concert)
Field size 250 metres
Surface Siberian pine (velodrome)
Construction
Broke ground 2012
Built 2012–2015
Construction cost £27 million
Architect Faulkner Browns.
Project manager Mace
Main contractors Bowmer and Kirkland

Derby Arena is a multi-use arena and velodrome at Pride Park in Derby, England. Construction was expected to be completed in November 2014 with the opening of the venue originally scheduled for January 2015. In May 2012 its development seemed uncertain due to a change of local government.[1] It was constructed by contractors Bowmer and Kirkland[2] and was scheduled for completion in 2014.[3] The Arena was finally opened three months late in March 2015 by Sarah Storey and Margaret Beckett.[4] It will be Britain's fifth 250-metre indoor track, which will be raised to allow easy access to the 12 badminton court size infield area. There will also be a cafe, fitness gym, group exercise studios and a spinning studio.

Also proposed was an outdoor 1.7-kilometre (1.1 mi) closed road circuit race track and a mountain bike skills area which would have been built on The Sanctuary Bird Reserve and LNR. A coalition of 16 local wildlife conservation groups expressed concern at the proposal,[5] but it was approved in February 2014.[6] An injunction brought against Derby City Council by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust led to a Judicial Review being granted which could have overturned the planning approval. On 15 March 2014 Derby City Council announced it was abandoning its plans to develop the site. [7]

In August 2014 a Derby-based company, Moda Bicycles, was appointed to provide 100 bicycles for hire at the Arena, which would be painted black-and-blue to match the Arena's branding.[8] Accreditation to be permitted to use the track will require a four-stage training course, taking six hours to complete at a cost of £65, announced in a package of charges in August 2014.[9]

The Arena hosted its first major track meeting in August 2015, when it hosted the opening round of the 2015-16 Revolution series, featuring a number of Olympic and World champions including Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell Shand, Jason Kenny and Ed Clancy.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "Labour councillors will have a free vote on scrapping £22m arena plans". Derby Evening Telegraph. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. ↑ Johnson, Robin (12 September 2013). "VIDEO: Velodrome has the wow factor already". Derby Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  3. ↑ Project website, Bowmer & Kirkland website
  4. ↑ "Delayed Derby Arena velodrome opens for business". bbc.co.uk. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Mallett, Chris (20 August 2013). "Wildlife trust opposes plans for bike track at nature reserve". Derby Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  6. ↑ Mallett, Chris (7 February 2014). "Cycle track plan on Derby Sanctuary nature reserve is approved by one vote". Derby Telegraph. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Council says it 'genuinely believes' cycle track would not have affected wildlife". Derby Telegraph. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  8. ↑ "Derby-based Moda Bicycles wins Derby Arena contract". Derby Telegraph. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Charges for using new track at Derby's velodrome are revealed". Derby Telegraph. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Revolution Series 2015/16 - Round 1". Derby Arena. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  11. ↑ Severn, Joey (14 August 2015). "World's elite cyclists wow the crowds... as does Derby Arena". Derby Telegraph. Retrieved 17 August 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Derby Arena.

Coordinates: 52°54′46″N 1°26′47″W / 52.9127°N 1.4464°W / 52.9127; -1.4464

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