People encouraged to have their say on the future of Chesterfield Market
Market traders, town centre retailers, residents and visitors are being encouraged to have their say on ambitious plans to revitalise Chesterfield Market by taking part in a public consultation which launches today (Monday 2 August).
Chesterfield Borough Council is seeking people’s views on plans to create a vibrant open-air shopping experience with new event space, seating, and landscaping – to help shape the council’s final proposals for Chesterfield Market.
The draft Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield Vision Master Plan aims to ensure the market area remains a modern shopping destination, despite the challenges posed by a rise in online shopping and, more recently, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, said: “We recognise the need to invest now to make sure Chesterfield town centre remains modern, vibrant, and relevant – and our market is a key part of that.
“As the heart and soul of our town centre, we must do all we can to make sure that Chesterfield Market continues to prosper in today’s world, as a destination of choice for traders, residents, and visitors.
“These ambitious plans lay down a new vision for Chesterfield Market and are based on what market traders, town centre retailers and residents told us they wanted to see when we asked for initial feedback on the project.
“We are now encouraging even more people to have their say on the plans in a public consultation, which runs for six weeks.”
The draft Master Plan proposals were approved by the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 20 July and will be out for public consultation from today through 12 September 2021, with initial work set to begin on site early 2022.
Key proposals include:
- The re-siting of market stalls currently located in New Square and on Low Pavement into a single market ground of 100 stalls in Market Square – creating a more defined and vibrant market area. The area will also include a flexible events space.
- The re-modelling of New Square as a flexible events space – able to hold large-scale events, and accommodate temporary installations and active edges linked to local bars and restaurants
- Upgrades to the paving to improve the quality while also making it more accessible for people dependent on wheelchairs, pushchairs, or mobility aids
- The introduction of new seating areas and attractive landscaping to create spaces where people want to sit and chat whilst taking in what the town has to offer
- The planting of more trees to increase biodiversity and improve the street scene
- Brighter and more vibrant stall coverings and flexible stalls supplied with water, better lighting, and digital connectivity
The council’s plans have also been developed with due regard for the Conservation Area including giving greater prominence to the Market Hall and the town pump, which is currently obscured, by opening-up the public space in these areas.
Councillor Sarvent added: “We all treasure Chesterfield’s historic market and I know many people will have views on how they want to it to look and feel in the future, so I would encourage as many people as possible to take a look at the plans and tell us what they think. Their views will be used to shape the final proposals.”
Due to the ongoing uncertainty created by the Covid-19 pandemic, this second phase of consultation will be carried out via a virtual exhibition – available to view at https://market-consultation.chesterfield.gov.uk/
Exhibition documents will be available to view at Chesterfield Market Hall and interested parties can also obtain paper copies of the questionnaire from the council’s Customer Services Centre, just off New Square.
Respondents to the public consultation will be entered into a prize draw to win £50 worth of Love2Shop vouchers.
The council has already secured £1.15m funding through the Derbyshire Business Rates Pilot and D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. Further funding for later phases is being sought as part of a bid that the council has recently submitted to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
Terms and conditions for the prize draw can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/terms-and-conditions
