Author: Dom Stevens

Plans approved for another new building at Markham Vale

5th September 2016

Derbyshire County Council and Henry Boot Developments Ltd are pleased to announce that they have successfully secured Planning Approval for another new development on Markham Vale to be located on part of Plot 13 Markham Vale North.

The project team is aiming to secure all outstanding approvals and subject to securing an occupier, construction of the building is expected to start later this year.

At 480,000 sq.ft. in area, the building will be slightly larger than the Great Bear building on plot 1 which is currently the largest development on site.

Posted in Business, Development

Works to begin at Chesterfield Waterside

2nd September 2016

Work is set to begin on the next phase of the £320million Chesterfield Waterside Scheme.

Chesterfield–based earthworks and landscaping contractor NT Killingley Ltd has been appointed to undertake the site enabling works for phase one of the Basin Square character area, which incorporates the former Trebor site. The works are expected to take around three months.

Killingley is due to commence works on Monday 5 September. The enabling works will prepare the site for construction of a hotel, retail units, apartments, a multi-storey car park and offices next year.

As part of the project Killingley will use their cutting egde modelling capabilities and GPS controlled excavators and bulldozers to rework the site levels. They will create an acoustic noise bund along the A61 on the former Arnold Laver site in preparation for the homes which will be built there to form The Park neighbourhood at Chesterfield Waterside. The current temporary 250 space car park will be relocated to the north end of the site, with access from Brimington Road,

Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Bolsterstone Plc, which is leading the project, said: “I am delighted that the development is making progress. This is a significant step forward for Chesterfield Waterside which will allow us to move into the construction phase next year. Once preparation works are complete and the infrastructure is in place, it will facilitate delivery of development on both Basin Square and The Park, enabling us to progress with the second phase of detailed planning applications for the buildings themselves shortly afterwards.”

Matt Killingley, Managing Director of NT Killingley Ltd, said: “It is a great pleasure to work locally on such a prestigious scheme. The majority of our staff are Chesterfield folk and we are very excited to allow them the opportunity to show the community what they can do. I am sure we will all be very proud of the end result.”

Following the award of a £2.7million Sheffield City Region Infrastructure Fund (SCRIF) grant earlier this year, the enabling works for the development’s £75million Basin Square scheme were able to be brought forward by the developers, Bolsterstone Plc.

A planning application has also been submitted to Chesterfield Borough Council by Bolsterstone for illustrative proposals, indicating the height and massing for the buildings to be constructed in Basin Square.

The exciting mixed-use first phase of Basin Square is of a scale and quality not previously seen before in Chesterfield and will elevate the town’s profile. Once complete, Basin Square is expected to be home to approximately 300 jobs.

Chesterfield Waterside is recognised as being one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, and is being developed by Chesterfield-based Bolsterstone Plc working in conjunction with Arnold Laver Group and Chesterfield Borough Council.

Additional progress with the Chesterfield Waterside scheme includes the recent granting of planning permission to replace the road bridge over the river Rother on the former Laver timber yard site which will serve The Park residential development, and the submission of a planning application for the works required to re-open a stretch of the Chesterfield canal.

The first phase of residential housing at Chesterfield Waterside, comprising 19 new homes on part of the former Arnold Laver DIY site on Brimington Road, was completed in 2015 on behalf of Great Places Housing Association, and the properties are now fully occupied.

Posted in Business, Development

Manufacturing confidence returns

1st September 2016

Manufacturing confidence rebounded in August from a 41-month low in July.

The month-on-month Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, which jointly publish the data, figure saw the joint-highest rise in the 25-year history of the report, climbing from 48.3 to 53.3, where 50 is the mean.

It is thought that the lower value of Sterling against leading global currencies contributed to the renewed confidence as it made exported British-made goods cheaper and led to a raft of new orders.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “July’s figure was quite obviously just a reaction to the EU Referendum result and we said at the time that it shouldn’t be regarded in isolation.

“The August rise is higher than might have been expected but, again, we would urge a degree of caution as this is a volatile table and we would expect to see it settle closer to its long term average of 51.5 in coming months.

“Manufacturing and engineering will be vital to the success of the UK post-Brexit and, as the spine of the sector in the UK, these figures are particularly pertinent to the East Midlands.”

Posted in Business

Crafter’s Companion recruitment drive strengthens Chesterfield team

1st September 2016

Global craft supplier, Crafter’s Companion, has added 11 new recruits to its team in the run up to the opening of its store in Chesterfield.

The outlet, at Dobbies Garden Centre in Chesterfield, will be the company’s second store launch in 2016 and officially opens to the public on Friday 23rd September.

As part of the store’s launch, the company held a special recruitment day to find the right candidates to form the retail team.

The day was attended by over 50 people and saw potential candidates take part in a number of tasks designed to help show off their skills.

Now, the company is on the lookout for a further four candidates, which will take the total number of recruits to 15.

Sara Davies, founder of Crafter’s Companion said:-

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be opening our next store in Chesterfield and to be able to bring new jobs to the area.

“Our new team members will be the heart of our new store, so we’ve spent a lot of time making sure we’ve chosen candidates who really understand our brand and our values.

“We’ve really enjoyed welcoming the guys to the Crafter’s Companion family and we’re looking forward to welcoming more team members in the coming months.”

Gurvinder Barn, the new store manager, who brings more than 20 years of retail experience to the team, said:-

“The team are already working really hard to get the store ready for the launch weekend. The new store will bring something unique to the area and we can’t wait for our visitors to see what’s on offer.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

£1.27m investment to aid D2N2 Growth Hub in ‘powering up business’

1st September 2016

The D2N2 Growth Hub has been awarded £1.27million in European funding – guaranteeing its services to businesses in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has agreed to part-fund the D2N2 Growth Hub, with £1.27million from the £97m European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocation for the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire (D2N2) area, to guarantee Growth Hub services until March 2019, and improve its offer to businesses in its area.

Part of the private sector-led D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership – which promotes economic growth and jobs creation in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – the Growth Hub was launched in December 2014. It works with partner organisations including local authorities, universities and businesses to provide free and impartial support and advice on training, growth and accessing funding to expand.

A recent survey of a sample 200 Growth Hub clients showed 88% (176) would recommend its services to a fellow business.

Since its creation, the D2N2 Growth Hub has:

helped over 2,400 businesses to access free and impartial support and advice;
run events and workshops – including with partner organisations – to inform businesses of its services;
commissioned and managed the delivery of additional business support services, including a high growth business support programme;
been ‘Highly Commended’ for the design and accessibility of its website (at www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk ).

The new funding agreement for the D2N2 Growth Hub will ensure that its core services – a dedicated phone line, business advisers, a bespoke website and network of business support providers – can provide an improved service to its customers.

It will provide a full time Growth Hub Manager to drive and co-ordinate the project, increased ability and capacity to handle a greater variety of business support enquiries, enhanced marketing and communications, and enable increased working with partner organisations. These will help the D2N2 Growth Hub to strengthen its connection to business support in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire by providing 4,000 businesses with the support they need between now and 2019 – assisting them to create jobs and grow.

Through some of the D2N2 LEP’s local authority partners – Derbyshire County, Nottinghamshire County, Nottingham City, High Peak Borough, Derbyshire Dales District and Chesterfield Borough councils – the core D2N2 Growth Hub service will be enhanced through a network of local business support advisers.

David Williams, Chair of the D2N2 Growth Hub’s Project Board, said:-

“The D2N2 Growth Hub continues to provide Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire businesses with support, advice and information.

“This new funding agreement builds upon our excellent track record, and the belief by Government in our commitment and ability to help the D2N2 business community grow and prosper.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development

BBC Antiques series Flog It comes to Chesterfield

1st September 2016

Flog It, the popular BBC One antiques programme presented by Paul Martin, is set to visit Derbyshire on Thursday 29^th September. Flog It recently filmed its 1000^th episode and the 16^th series is currently being recorded. The show regularly achieves an audience of over two million viewers in its weekday afternoon slot.

Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre near Chesterfield will be hosting the Flog It valuation day. Rather like a treasure hunt, members of the public are invited to visit the unique heritage attraction with up to three antiques or collectables they might be interested in selling. Once valued in this iconic historical location, the owner and a team of experts decide whether an object should go forward for auction. If the item is chosen for inclusion in the show it is included in an auction a few weeks later – hopefully when the auctioneers hammer falls its owners make a tidy sum. Everyone who goes along to the valuation day will receive a free appraisal of their items – even if their antiques are not chosen for filming or to go forward for auction.

Flog It has made many significant finds over its sixteen series, including in North Lincolnshire a rare Aboriginal Broad Shield that had been kept hidden away in a viewer’s wardrobe which was brought along to a valuation day, it went on to sell at auction for £30,000! Flog It experts also discovered an unusual Royal Doulton Spook figurine in Blackpool which had been bought at a car boot sale for £2; it went on to sell at auction for £5000.

Alex Habgood, Location Manager of Flog It said “The Flog It team are delighted to be bringing the show to Barrow Hill. It’s a privilege for us to be filming at a site of such important historical significance. We look forward to revealing some of its history to our viewers.”

Paul Martin, presenter of Flog It said “I’m thrilled to be bringing the show back to Derbyshire; on our previous visits to the county we’ve always received a very warm welcome. I’m really looking forward to coming back and hope as many people as possible will bring along their items to the valuation day. To help us tell the story of Barrow Hill I’d be particularly pleased to see anyone who has items related to the history of the site”

Alexa Stott, Marketing Manager for Barrow Hill Roundhouse said “The Roundhouse team is honoured to be hosting the Flog It programme in our unique museum. Following hot on the heels of our Heritage Lottery Fund award we are really putting Barrow Hill on the map and are sure that the programme will encourage many more people to come and see this amazing place.”

The BBC will be making four editions of the show featuring Barrow Hill and they will be transmitted within eighteen months of recording. Paul Martin will be joined at the valuation day by on screen experts Michael Baggott, Raj Bisram and Jonathan Pratt.

BBC Flog It will be at Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre, Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S43 2PR, between 09.30am and 4.00pm on Thursday 29^th September 2016. The items selected for filming at the valuation day will go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall on Thursday 20^th October.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure

Demolition of the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre approved

31st August 2016

A planning application seeking permission to demolish the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre was approved by councillors at the end of August.

Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee decided the building, which closed at the end of December 2015, can be demolished, with landscaping of the site carried out until plans are developed for the future use of the land.

The existing building, in Boythorpe Road, has to be demolished because it is no longer economically viable to keep running due to not being energy efficient, not being up to modern environmental requirements and having high running costs.

As a result of the application going to the planning committee the public consultation on future use of the old site will now take place between Monday 12 September and Friday 21 October.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, said: “We are turning our attention to the future use of the site.

“We have been researching a whole range of potential options for the site and assessing whether they are viable from a planning perspective, as we need to protect the historic grade two star listing of the neighbouring park, by ensuring any future use is compatible with that leisure setting.

“In this time of cuts to council finances we also need to ensure that whatever goes on the site is either cost neutral or generates income for the council that can then be used to help towards the costs of running Queen’s Park and future improvements to that site.”

This week security fencing has been installed around part of the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre building to address concerns about anti-social behaviour around the park. The fencing is designed to prevent vandalism or potential break-ins and is not related to the demolition.

The former sports centre closed when the new £11.25 million Queen’s Park Sports Centre opened further down Boythorpe Road in January 2016 on the Queen’s Park Annexe site.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development

Plans approved to transform former Chesterfield Post Office

30th August 2016

Plans to breathe new life in to former Post Office in the heart of Chesterfield’s historic market place have been given approval by Chesterfield Borough Council under delegated powers.

Designed by WCEC Architects on behalf of national developers Telereal Trillium, the grade II listed building will be transformed into seven luxury apartments across the first and second floors, whilst the ground floor will be converted into 3,557 sq.ft. of retail/leisure space with 653 sq.ft. of ancillary service space at basement level and a rear communal courtyard.

Mark Kelly, Director of Disposals ＆ Development at Telereal Trillium said: “We are thrilled there has been such a positive local response from the community and likewise the council to move this scheme forward, in restoring such a historic landmark building in the Town centre.”

Nick Fenton, Associate Director at WCEC commented: “Working closely with the planning department and the conservation officer we have maintained the buildings original character and fabric with the addition of a modern complimentary rear extension. The overall proposition successfully enables the change of use whilst accentuating the existing structure and detailing.

We are keen, as are the developers to progress works on such a fantastic local scheme that will contribute positively to the town centre.”

An occupier for the ground floor retail and leisure space is currently being sought. It is anticipated that works to the site can begin as early as the end of this year.

Posted in Business, Development

University campus to open this October

30th August 2016

A new University of Derby campus due to open in Chesterfield on October 17 will help transform the region’s health care sector and boost the town’s growing advanced manufacturing industries.

Building work at the former St Helena’s Grammar School for Girls is on target for the official opening, which will unveil some of the best teaching facilities for nursing in the UK – including an NHS-standard mock hospital ward.

Degrees in Engineering, Business and IT across the new campus and at Derby will support Chesterfield’s growing advanced manufacturing industry and allow businesses to upskill their workforce and better equip employees for their careers.

After lying disused for many years, the Grade II listed building in Sheffield Road has been sympathetically restored in keeping with its origins as a pioneering educational establishment designed by internationally acclaimed Victorian architect George Widdows.

“The University of Derby has a strong tradition of giving old buildings new life, and the completion of the renovation of St Helena comes in the year we also celebrate a decade in the beautiful Devonshire Dome in Buxton,” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby, Professor Margaret Bruce.

“Although we have long had a presence in Chesterfield, we are very excited about this development and have been warmly welcomed by the town. We hope that our expansion will contribute greatly towards Chesterfield’s economy and enrich the lives of its people.”

The building will include a new Innovation Centre which will provide access to facilities and support services for small to medium-sized enterprises and business start-ups, including product development, testing equipment and incubation units.

Research commissioned by the University into the economic impact of its Buxton Campus showed that it supported 500 jobs annually through a total spend of £32 million, a result which it is hoped will be replicated in Chesterfield.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Well dressing festival returns to Chesterfield

30th August 2016

Residents and visitors to Chesterfield can visit the town’s annual well dressing festival this September.

There will be two well dressings on display from Saturday 10 to Saturday 17 September.

The first well dressing, organised and constructed by Chesterfield Borough Council, will be on display at the town pump in the market place.

The theme is Beatrix Potter to mark the 150^th anniversary of the birth of the children’s author and will feature the popular characters Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddle-Duck and Mrs Tittlemouse.

Donations at the town pump will go to the mayor’s chosen charities – the Macmillan Cancer Centre at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Accessible Derbyshire.

The second well dressing will be on display in the porch of St Mary and All Saints, the ‘Crooked Spire’ church.

The well dressing marks the 750^th anniversary of the Battle of Chesterfield and commemorates the occasion when the Earl of Derby, Robert de Ferrers, was found hiding behind the woolsacks in Chesterfield Parish Church and dragged to London to face King Henry III.

Donations left here will go towards the upkeep of the church.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy, said:-

“Well dressing is an old Derbyshire tradition and each year visitors come from far and wide to see the well dressings in Chesterfield.

“They can be sure of a warm welcome and the chance to admire the handiwork of all the volunteers who have taken the time to create the artistic displays.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting

Something wicked this way comes…

30th August 2016

Visitors to Revolution House, in Old Whittington, can find out about the witch hunts of the 17^th century in a special event this September.

The event takes place at the popular Chesterfield Borough Council run attraction on Sunday 4 September from 11am to 4pm.

As well as learning about witch hunting, visitors can make a witch pot with a trained potter.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy, said:-

“People of all ages have heard about witchcraft because of the Harry Potter stories and films.

“This event at Revolution House will offer visitors of all ages the opportunity to find out about the real witch hunts that took place throughout England in the past.”

Revolution House is open each Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm until Sunday 25 September. Admission is free.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Leisure, Visiting