DERBY SKYLINE

It may come nowhere near to rivalling the famous view of Manhattan, but Derby's skyline could be in line for an illuminating makeover. So long coupled with the famous Co-op cow dominating the approach to the city from nearly all directions, bosses at the Midlands Co-op store are now hoping to shed a little light on the city at night. Proposals for Central Hall, in Exchange Street and East Street, and its famous green dome to be bathed in coloured lights were approved by members of Derby City Council's planning control committee.

The dome would be lit up in green, the ledges in red and the columns in clear light under the proposals. But, already, objections have been logged by conservationists who fear it will ruin the character of one of Derby's most important and prominent listed buildings. Members of the city council's conservation area advisory committee have already met to discuss the proposal and recommended it be refused on the grounds that the floodlights would amount to a form of "light pollution". Their opposition is based on the belief that any floodlight-type feature of the kind proposed would introduce an "inappropriate alien feature" to the city skyline as well as the surrounding buildings.

Planning officers have given permission - on the condition that any colour scheme be agreed to by the council before being installed. Derby historian Maxwell Craven, said, "I think it's just too much - it's a good building but it doesn't need to be lit up like an ocean liner. I think a bit more restraint might be in order." Stuart Todd, city council planning officer, said, "I think the idea is that we'll be able to see the building from quite some distance. There will need to be some further discussion on the precise indication of what kind of colours we're talking about having on the building."

Julie Cooper, of Midlands Co-op, said the company wanted to make what they considered to be already the most prominent section of Derby's skyline even more attractive once darkness had fallen. "Central Hall is already an attractive building during the day and what we're trying to do is enhance its appearance during the evening," she said. "This would include illuminating the dome as well as providing further lighting for the lower parts of the building. At the moment it's not showing off to its full potential and if this goes through it's going to be a dominant change to the skyline at night - it's going to be something quite different."