Exciting plans approved for new Burger King, Starbucks and Greggs in Derby
Exciting developments as Burger King, Starbucks, and Greggs open at Derby's 'ugly' former cinema site.
Plans to build new drive-through stores for Burger King and Starbucks in Derby, as well as a new Greggs shop, have been submitted to planning officers.
New visuals have been published showing how the former Showcase Cinemas site at Foresters Way could look like should the green light be given to the plans.
Pear Tree (Derby) Ltd has submitted a planning application to Derby City Council disclosing further details of a major regeneration project.
Earlier this month it was reported how plans had been submitted for a 66-bed care home to be built at the site of the former cinema complex. But details within documents suggested a separate planning application was due for an additional commercial development.
The new stores will be built next to the care home, if given the go-ahead, with up to 90 parking spaces in between. The plans could see a new Burger King (drive-through), Starbucks (drive-through) and a Greggs shop built.
Pear Tree Ltd, which specialises in commercial regeneration, said in a planning statement that the work to regenerate the area was needed “sooner rather than later”.
The state of the former Showcase Cinemas site has led to complaints, with some calling it “ugly” and an “eyesore”. There were plans to build a car showroom at the site. But those plans were thrown up in the air when the council expressed concern about the demolition of the building, which appeared to start before planning permission had been granted.
A new planning statement says: “The existing cinema is in a dilapidated condition at present and can be seen as an unpleasant blot on such a prominent site. While the existing trees offer some visual protection, the overarching presence of the cinema is apparent and has been for a number of years.
“Being on such a prominent route into and out of the city and this area of Derby, it is recognised that the re-development of this site needs to happen sooner rather than later to restore an active and vibrant use to this site. The site could propose any number of the named uses and, in such a diverse area of complementary uses, would be deemed acceptable and in keeping.
“Various pre-application meetings have taken place over a period of 12 months and most, if not all, comments received have been addressed where possible and the resultant scheme is an exciting, vibrant and necessary proposal for a site which has remained in a state of repair for years on a key site in Derby.”
In 2023, residents living on Osmaston Park Road and nearby called the site “a dump”. One resident said: “It’s disgusting and it brings rats around here and stuff. I wish they’d do something about it, big time. It’s a shame it went down in the first place.”