New business centre and community park for Chesterfield

The first phase of the £3.8m restoration programme at Staveley Hall is nearing completion.

This follows several years of hard work from the Heart of Staveley Project, set up to transform the semi-derelict building and its historic walled garden into a centre focused on community, education, heritage and arts activities.

The project is creating Staveley Hall Business Centre, which will provide up to 70 jobs, as well as restoring the historic walled garden – transforming it into a town centre community park.

The first phase of the project, the revival of the stable block, will open in early June 2014, with office space available for 11 small businesses.  

Once complete in June 2015, Staveley Hall will also provide space for another 7 businesses to be located on the upper floors, with meeting rooms and a café on the ground floor.

The Heart of Staveley, which was launched in 2008, has so far secured £3.4m towards the cost of the £3.8 million project and there is a robust fundraising strategy in place to raise the remaining balance.

Funding has come from a range of charitable grant giving trusts including the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund.  Staveley Town Council has also borrowed £750,000 from the Public Works Loans Board.

It is envisaged that Staveley Town Council will ratify the tender price in July 2014 and take a 33 year lease of the Hall and walled garden once work has been completed.

A small team of staff will be appointed, led by a hall manager and administrator, heritage and education officer, head gardener and volunteer coordinator who will be supported by up to 50 volunteers.

There are also plans for a garden team of 20 which will be established to work with the head gardener to restore the garden and then maintain it as a community park, based on the historic 17th Century structure, for the local community.

An public event is to be held at Staveley Hall on 15 April 2014 (4pm – 8pm) to provide an explanation of proposals, to seek support and start to create a team of volunteers.  Representatives of Staveley Town Council, the Heart of Staveley and the professional team will be available to explain the scheme and answer any queries.

Tours of the stable block will be available for those who are interested.  For more information please contact Staveley Town Council on 01246 473132.

Source:Staveley Town Council

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