Business leaders updated on Northern Gateway project
Business leaders in Chesterfield have received a briefing about the progress of the Northern Gateway project.
More than 80 business leaders attended the event at Staveley Hall organised by Destination Chesterfield and heard about the plans for the scheme, which will transform the area around the Donut roundabout at Holywell Cross.
The plans include an enterprise centre for start-up and medium sized businesses on the site of Holywell Cross (Donut) car park as well as renewal of the Saltergate multi-storey car park and environmental and street improvements to Elder Way and part of Knifesmithgate, to improve the area for pedestrians and encourage more people to use the area.
The £19.9 million revised project also includes the £10.5 million redevelopment of the Co-op store by Central England Co-operative and their partners Jomast Developments.
They already have planning permission for a leisure scheme that will include:
- Six ground floor restaurants
- A hotel on the first and second floors
- A health and fitness centre in the basement
- The first occupiers to be announced are Premier Inn.
The revised Northern Gateway project will be funded by a Sheffield City Region Infrastructure Fund grant of £5.83 million, which is unaffected by the council’s decision to withdraw its application to be a full member of the Sheffield City Region devolution deal.
The council has contributed £3.5 million to the scheme with the Co-op redevelopment being paid for by the private sector.
Chesterfield based Whittam Cox Architects is currently drawing up a vision document of how the scheme and the wider area will develop over the next 20 years.
This will be published in July when consultation takes place with residents and businesses.
Andrew Dabbs, design director at Whittam Cox Architects stated “We are happy to have been commissioned by Chesterfield Borough Council to provide this vision for the Northern Gateway, a key part of the town centre.
“This is a long term vision which offers a means to promote and market the future development potential of the area so that long term regeneration benefits can be realised by Chesterfield.”
Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s deputy leader and vice-chair of Destination Chesterfield, said: “We are really excited about the vision for the Northern Gateway that is being developed. Once complete the scheme will bring much needed investment, jobs and spending power to the town centre, making it a better place to live, work and play.
