Leicester Needs An Arena

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WHY?

 

  • Leicester is a major UK city - the tenth largest
  • Over half a million people live in the Leicester conurbation
  • Nearly 5 million people live in the East Midlands
  • Almost 10 million live in the Midlands - only 2 cities have an arena
  • There is no arena to the east, between Leicester and the North Sea
  • There is no arena to the south, between Leicester and London
  • De Montfort Hall is too small to attract major acts
  • We need a large facility for business conferences and exhibitions
  • The hotel trade and night-time economy would be boosted by an arena

 

WHERE?

 

   

 

An existing arena has been included to highlight scale.

 

St Augustine's

This is the site of the famous Bow Bridge. Here King Richard III bashed his spurs on the bridge on the way to the Battle of Bosworth. Returning on a cart as a corpse, his skull smashed on the same bridge.

 

St Augustine's is a prime location and acts as a southern gateway to the city centre, from the M1 motorway. The site is currently occupied by a temporary carwash and car park. There are plans for a mixed-use development, as part of the Leicester Old Town guidelines.

 

The St Augustine's site is opposite No1 Westbridge (a trio of tall buildings, the tallest of which will be 39 storeys high).

 

Great Central Station

The former railway station which served the western side of the city. Much of the Victorian frontage remains intact and the site has vacant land reaching right up to the central ring road, opposite the new Highcross Leicester shopping centre.

 

To the north of this site, Blueprint are planning a mixed-use development at Frog Island. There are also major plans right next to the site by Cirrus Property at Blackfriars (incorporating the old Great Central viaduct), Wilson Bowden at Donisthorpe Mills and Ian Simpson Architects at No1 Westbridge.

 

Highcross Leicester

There is a potential pocket of land next to the new shopping centre, though to free this up for an arena would involve substantial demolition work.

 

The site is very close to St Margaret's Bus Station and easily accessible due to its proximity on the inner ring road. There are thousands of car parking spaces at Highcross Leicester.

 

Belgrave Gate

An area blighted by poor 1960s planning policies and architecture. Regeneration is bringing new life to Thames Tower and the nearby Leicester College campus. Placing an arena in this area would provide a massive uplift to a part of central Leicester, which has always been the least asthetically pleasing part of the city.

 

St Mark's Church is an architectural gem in this area. There is also land around this building, which would provide a good location for an arena. As with the Highcross Leicester location, this would necessitate widespread demolition work.

 

St Matthew's

As with the neighbouring Belgrave Gate, there is a great deal of poor architecture in this area. The site does occupy a location right next to the inner ring road and for an area so close to the central core, it is woefully under-used. Much demolition work would be required.

 

Lee Circle

An architecturally poor 1960s multi-storey car park dominates the scene. As part of Leicester Regeneration Company plans, the area is scheduled to be a family-orientated New Community. Though some apartments are being built, the plands for this community seem to have been stalled.

 

The site would make a fantastic central location for an arena, though demolition costs and the loss of the multi-storey cap park may prohibit such a scheme.

 

St George's North

As with Lee Circle, this area has been identified by the Leicester Regeneration Company as a New Community. With the plans for family housing and a new school looking increasingly unlikely; the area would make an ideal candidate for an arena site.

 

It was in the streets of St George's North that Joseph Merrick, the "Elephant Man" was born and lived. The Wharf Street Hippodrome was where he was first displayed to the curious.

 

A great deal of demolition would be required for an arena to be placed here. the buildings in the area are largely low in quality.

 

St George's South

Flanking the inner ring road at St George's Way, this site would make an ideal location for a new arena. A closed down stationery warehouse and largely vacant land exist at the moment.

 

The site is right next to the new Cultural Quarter, with the £60 million Leicester Performing Arts Centre and £21 million Digital Media Centre already on the way. An arena here would fit in with the cultural offer of the city and connect St George's Retail Park with the central shopping core.

 

Railway Station

This site is already earmarked for major redevelopment. 400,000 sq ft of office, hotel, leisure and residential space is being developed at St Georges Tower. Leicester Regeneration Company is planning to work with Network Rail in remodelling the train station.

 

Being right next to the new Business Quarter, the incorporation of an arena into the fabric of the train station would be a massive boost to the commercial strength of the city.

LINKS

 

Arena Petition 

Leicester Arena Forum

 

SkyscraperCity Discussion

Patricia Hewitt MP Arena Poll

 Leicester Music Scene Website

Facebook Leicester Arena Group

 

CURRENT VENUES

 

De Montfort Hall - Cap 2500

Leicester University - Cap 1200

The Athena - Cap 1000

Curve Main Auditorium - Cap 750

Halftime Orange - Cap 500

The Y - Cap 350

Curve Second Auditorium - Cap 350

Leicester Square Top Floor - Cap 500

Leicester Square Ground Floor - Cap 300

The Music Cafe - Cap 300

Phoenix Arts - Cap 270

Sumo - Cap 250

The Musician - Cap 220

The Pavillion - Cap 200

The Shed - Cap 200

The Firebug - Cap 150

Molly O'Grady's - Cap 100