It's an exceptionally fine public building that could provide a fantastic venue for community activities such as performing arts.
Local groups have been searching for years for a suitable site and this has everything required.

It is also large and attractive enough to provide commercial office space that will provide income so that the community facilities can be provided at zero cost to rate payers.

A number of commercial and community groups have already expressed interest in sharing the site in this way.

Unfortunately Amber Valley Borough Council does not yet share this vision, which has been promoted by the Belper Civic Forum and supported by many other people.

The council appears to believe that the only way to benefit the community, which it is compelled to do by the terms of the 1909 conveyance, is to maximise the price that it can get for the site and give this to the Herbert Strutt Charity, which may mean it goes for redevelopment for housing.

The forum believes that much greater benefit will derive from its proposals that will also provide employment within the town and help
prevent it from degenerating into a dormitory suburb.

The forum is collecting signatures on a petition.

So if readers agree that there should be a place for community facilities in the re-development of the building then they will have the opportunity to sign it at a number of Belper shops on Saturday, March 1, and thereby make their feelings known.

Trevor Griffin
Chair
Herbert Strutt Community Project
Secretary of Belper Civic Forum
The Fleet
Belper