As summer draws to a close, I wanted to reflect on some of the fantastic activities which have happened in our town over the last few months…
It has been delightful to see so many people attending events, bringing local communities together and supporting our independent businesses.
Back in June, we saw some fantastic cricket as Derbyshire played host to Yorkshire at Queen’s Park, with Derbyshire coming out victorious in front of a fifth successive sell-out crowd.
The Chesterfield Canal Festival also saw more than 8,000 people visiting Staveley. It is brilliant to hear of the work Chesterfield Canal Trust is carrying out with partners to restore the canal and the Staveley basin.
Elsewhere, Chesterfield’s reputation for having one of the biggest and best Pride festivals in the region was once again showcased, with more than 5,000 attendees enjoying ‘90s boyband, A1 and rapper Tinchy Stryder.
The first-ever Chesterfield Children’s Festival proved a hit with youngsters, with silent discos, comedy clubs, theatre workshops, and more. It is wonderful to see that our town is providing a quality leisure offer for people of all ages.
One of the events which really stirred emotions was the Sparkle Night Walk, in aid of Ashgate Hospice. A record 3,100 people took part, raising over £150,000 for a charity which I know is dear to so many in our area. A big well done to everyone who got involved.
We also saw the first-ever Peddler Market in Chesterfield, which was welcomed to the town centre with resounding success. It was great to see people enjoying quality food and drink from the traders, including Chesterfield’s own Pizza Pi! I can’t wait to see its return on the 15th and 16th of September.
I’m excited to see how Chesterfield’s programme of events continues to develop in the coming years, with upcoming regeneration in our marketplace set to create a more communal and social space in the heart of the town. Somewhere you will enjoy sitting and chatting with family and friends.
Plans for next year include a new market layout with modern stalls, more seating, better lighting, and refreshed paving. This will all provide the flexibility needed to host events regularly in the town centre, providing that much-needed footfall for our independent shops, bars, and restaurants. The regeneration will go ahead thanks to £25m of funding, secured by Chesterfield Borough Council, with the market being just part of a major project that will see several improvements to our town centre, including the Stephenson Memorial Hall. Who knows what fun awaits once all the work is completed!?
I hope that we can all continue to support our local events, businesses, and people. By doing so, we can make a huge impact on the future economic growth of our area by attracting more visitors to stay here, more families to live here and more businesses to invest here.
The development of a new boutique hotel coming soon to Chesterfield has achieved another milestone, having received the green light from planning officers.
Voeberg has taken on the project to develop the Holywell Hotel, next to the town’s well-known Holywell Cross or ‘Donut’ roundabout in the heart of Chesterfield.
The Grade II listed building is set to undergo more than £1 million of refurbishment, sensitively converting it into one two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom apartments for use as short-stay accommodation.
Emily Smith, Property Investor and Mentor at Voeberg commented: “We’re really excited to have the support for the project from the council and all the stakeholders involved in granting planning permission.
“We’re working through some of the final building control requirements, but are expecting to start the renovation imminently. We’re looking forward to enhancing the character of the Grade II listed building while bringing it into a new use.
Once work is completed, the premises will operate as a ‘smart hotel’ with self-check-ins, keyless entry and a digital portal which will provide guests with relevant information about their stay. Work will also take place to repair the buildings, including restoring the sash windows, renovating the doors and conserving all the listed features.
Emily added: “The hotel is going to offer a different accommodation option for Chesterfield’s visitors – whether leisure or business. The location serves the town centre as well as the train station so it’s ideal for people travelling and conducting business in the area.
“It’ll complement other hospitality and retail businesses’ offerings in the town and we’re looking forward to partnering with many local businesses through the development and then the running of the hotel.”
Attendees at the upcoming Chesterfield Investment Summit will be able to hear more about the Holywell Hotel, with Emily being involved as a guest speaker.
She said: “It’s amazing to be asked to be involved in the Investment Summit – it shows the council are supporting smaller developers and business owners alongside some of the larger and established companies investing in Chesterfield. It takes companies of all sizes to support the town’s vision, and each other.”
Holywell Hotel by Voeberg supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
35 new homes are being developed in Clay Cross, offering a flexible option for local tenants looking to get on the property ladder.
Six two-bed houses and a three-bed home were on display to the public recently, to showcase the new development at Clay Lane.
These homes have been built in partnership with North East Derbyshire District Council, Rentplus, and Woodall Homes, helping fill the need for affordable quality homes in the district.
The scheme is the first affordable rent to buy scheme in NE Derbyshire. Tenants move in with no deposit and pay an affordable rent (which includes all repairs and service charges) which gives tenants the opportunity to save towards a future mortgage.
At key pre-set points at years 5, 10, 15 or 20 they can buy their home and are given a 10% sum from Rentplus towards their savings. The average total household income of tenants on the scheme is £33,000 and the properties have been allocated to local residents, mostly key or essential workers. who otherwise would have struggled to purchase a property on the open market.
Steve Collins, CEO of Rentplus explains why affordable rent to buy schemes are needed: “With the average house price for first-time buyers in North East Derbyshire over £211,000, many working households on lower or middle incomes are locked out of home ownership as they are unable to save enough for a deposit, even though they could afford mortgage repayments.
“Tenants move in without paying an initial deposit and then rent their home at an affordable rent (which includes all repairs and service charges) for between 5 and 20 years whilst they save. When ready to buy, they receive a gifted deposit of 10% from Rentplus towards their savings”
North East Derbyshire District Council Leader, Councillor Nigel Barker said: “I’m delighted to see such a fantastic scheme for some of our wonderful residents, who will be moving into these brand new houses in the coming weeks. In our Council Plan, we have demonstrated our commitment to increasing the number of affordable homes in the district in the years to come.”
MP Lee Rowley has also welcomed the scheme: “I’m very impressed with what I have seen today and I’m looking forward to seeing people move into their Rentplus home. They key thing is to give people choices: whether to rent or to buy, or something in-between. What’s so good about this is that it allows people to become homeowners in the medium or long term but doing it in a way that helps people in the short term.”
Did you know that Chesterfield was recently ranked as the 2nd best place in the UK to raise a family? Find out more about the excellent lifestyle offered to residents in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/living/
Woodall Homes supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
East Midlands Chamber has revealed this year’s finalists for its Derbyshire Business Awards, including six Chesterfield Champions that have made the lineup.
CarMats.co.uk, Eco Tech Engineers, Hopkinson Waste, Penguin PR, Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare, and Rosewood Wealth Management are set to be celebrated at a prestigious awards ceremony taking place in November.
The dinner is one of three taking place to honour around 150 companies across the three counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
Finalists now have a chance to state their case for winning at virtual judging panels taking place in the week commencing 11 September. Panels will comprise sponsors, a Chamber board member and a representative from the Chamber’s senior leadership team.
An overall Business of the Year is also selected for each county from all finalists by headline partner Mazars. Last year’s winner for Derbyshire was Katapult.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The resilience, ingenuity and hunger for growth within the East Midlands business community never ceases to amaze.
“Our firms have faced some of the greatest challenges they will have ever encountered in recent times. Rather than become consumed by these, they have instead found new ways to succeed, whether that be through collaborating with other organisations, adopting new technologies to innovate, connecting with local communities, developing new export markets, or identifying opportunities for driving environmental and cost efficiencies.
“These achievements are reflected across the lineup of this year’s Business Awards, along with individual honours that recognise the tremendous entrepreneurship existing in our region, as well as the future generation of talent among our outstanding apprentices.”
A gala dinner takes place for Derbyshire Businesses on Friday 10 November at Derbyshire County Cricket Club. Hosted by ITV Central news presenter Sameena Ali-Khan, the evening features a three-course gourmet dining experience, keynote speakers, live entertainment and networking opportunities.
The full list of finalists for the 2023 Derbyshire Business Awards are:
Business Improvement through Technology, sponsored by Purpose Media
Coach Hire Comparison
Devtank
LT VA Services
Strive Business Solutions
Test Your Intolerance
Community Impact, sponsored by University of Derby
Archaeological Research Services
Derventio Housing Trust
Penguin PR
Sporting Communities
Outstanding Growth, sponsored by Amazon
AG Group
Bloc Digital
EcoTech Engineers
Ocean King
Test Your Intolerance
Excellence in Collaboration, sponsored by ITS Technology
Be the One in 111
Bloc Digital and JCB
Colleague Box and Blue Light Card
Cosy Direct and Derby Kids’ Camp
Partnerships for Better Business
Sunbelt Rentals UK
Environmental Impact, sponsored by Futures Housing Group
HSG UK
Licence Check
Hopkinson Waste
Commitment to People Development
Longbow Bars & Restaurants
Midland Lead
Morrison Design
Purpose Media
Vibrant Accountancy
Apprentice of the Year
Anthony Yeomans – Devtank
Elena Richards – Rolls-Royce
James Bird – The Silver X Group
Leah Bancroft – Longbow Bars & Restaurants
Lucy Hilton – Cosy Direct
Molly Grice – EEM
Entrepreneur of the Year
Ian Chambers – App4 Developments
James Bowers – Enicor
Jonathan Edgeley – Montrose Health Group
Rob Hattersley – Longbow Bars & Restaurants
Steven Thai – Ocean King
Education and Business Partnership Award, sponsored by Concertus, part of Vertas Group
Althaus Digital
EMA Training
Embark Federation
Penguin PR
Excellence in Customer Service, sponsored by Aston Lark
Longbow Bars & Restaurants
Motorcycle Funerals
Peak Translations
Reformed IT
The Silver X Group
Excellence in International Trade
Bloc Digital
IVC Brunel Healthcare
Spatial Global
Small Business of the Year
Bloc Digital
CarMats.co.uk
Cedar Tree Chiropractic
EcoTech Engineers
Reformed IT
Rosewood Wealth Management
Excellence in Innovation, sponsored by Rolls-Royce
Bloc Digital
Engine Mobile
Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare
Derbyshire Business of the Year, sponsored by headline partner Mazars
Winner to be announced on the night
Several businesses, charities and community organisations in Chesterfield are continuing to launch new initiatives, aimed at supporting people across the area.
The town’s network of Chesterfield Champions is continuing to help raise the profile of our area and strengthen links, by hosting charity events, launching new support groups and more.
Find out more about some of the latest news from across our community in our latest roundup.
Spireites launch new LGBTQ+ supporters group
Chesterfield Football Club is now working alongside a new supporters group, aimed at improving the matchday experience for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The group was formed by supporters, Darren Yates and Ellie Yates, with the aim of creating a safe space and ensuring everyone feels welcome at the SMH Group Stadium.
Darren explained: “Our main aim is to be that safe space for LGBTQ+ supporters, who don’t want to come to the game on their own.
“It is also to be a critical friend of the club to help them reach into the community more.
“A group like this can really help fans feel welcome at games, and not have to worry about feeling alone or unwelcome.
“Everyone at the club has been brilliant and totally supportive. We were at Chesterfield Pride and the response was really good. People were saying that they were really happy to see the group being formed.”
Outlining plans for the future, Ellie said: “We’re hoping that now we’ve started getting a few members on board, we can start doing some meet-ups and talk to our members to see what they want to get out of the group as well.
“We’ve joined a regional alliance with some LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups. At the moment, we’re just letting people know we’re there and once we’ve got more members, we’ll look at pre-match meet-ups to encourage fans who might not feel safe enough going to games.”
Vicar Lane to support children’s charities with One Great Day event
Vicar Lane Shopping Centre will once again be supporting the UK-wide annual charity day ‘One Great Day’ on Saturday 2nd September.
One Great Day is a series of family and community charity events being held throughout the country to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and another local charity close to the heart of each community. This year Vicar Lane is proud to be sharing donations with GOSH and Sheffield Children’s Hospital, The Children’s Hospital Charity.
The event includes a range of free outdoor activities, a tombola and face painting for the youngsters.
From 10am – 3pm, mini aspiring footballers will have a chance to meet Chester the field mouse for a fun shoot-out challenge. For a minimum donation of £1, visitors can show off their skills to score against Chesterfield FC’s cheeky mascot.
To help raise as much money as possible the centre will be running a raffle draw – including a grand prize of 4 tickets to see Chesterfield Football Club play at home.
Brandon Howard, Centre Administrator said: We’re really looking forward to welcoming the people of Chesterfield to Vicar Lane to help us raise much-needed funds for two amazing charities. With the help of Chester the field mouse and Theo the bear, we hope to bring a smile and beat the amount raised last year.
Charity skydive supports children with additional needs in Chesterfield
A charity skydive has recently took place to raise funds for Fairplay, a charity which supports young people with additional needs in our area.
Rachel Middleton took the leap, and has so far raised more than £1,000 for her efforts. Rachel commented: “I’ve worked for Fairplay for over two years now and I want to support them to do more great work!
“We support families, child and young adults with disabilities and promote independent living skills in SCaRT, Moving Forward and Enterprise. We have lots of groups running including our gorgeous cafe, craft and gardening groups. Along with the new addition of our shop which the young people make things to sell and will be helping to run themselves!”
Chesterfield Royal Hospital awarded ‘Trailblazer’ status from Race Equality Matters
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded the prestigious Trailblazer status from Race Equality Matters, a not-for-profit organisation seeking to improve racial equality.
Trailblazers are organisations that are successfully taking action and making an impact on race inequality and Chesterfield was selected for work on The Big Promise solution, where people and organisations make a public commitment to create meaningful and positive change.
Race Equality Matters Trailblazer status is determined by an independent panel of experts – all with lived experience. It aims to identify meaningful impact, keep momentum going, inspire others and evidence an organisations commitment to tackling race inequality.
Becoming a Trailblazer means that the work Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CRH) has done to implement The Big Promise has resulted in significant change and made an impact across the breadth of the entire organisation. This is a step that contributes to their aim to successfully address racial inequality and become a more diverse, inclusive and equal organisation.
Hailey Pottinger, Co-Chair of the Race Equality and Cultural Inclusion Network at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Big Promise helped us to create an inclusive environment where everyone could get involved and talk to us about Race Equality. By giving the Big Promise a central focus, especially as part of Race Equality Week, we created a positive statement and encouraged conversations with colleagues and members of the public. The aim was to increase the understanding that race equality is everyone’s business and secure buy-in and a sense of personal responsibility.
“At Chesterfield, a lot of work is being done to raise awareness of anti-racism (and how that is different to simply not being racist). This work is laying the foundations for conversations around racism and feeding into the creation of our Anti-Racism Strategy. There was a big focus on as part of Race Equality Week.
Kevin Sargen, Medical Director and Race Equality Network Exec Sponsor, at Chesterfield Royal NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are pleased to be highlighted as trailblazers; however, we recognise that this is an ongoing process and there is a lot more we all need to do as an organisation and as individuals to ensure that that we not only highlight this agenda but actively drive action and change. As a Board of Directors, we have made a commitment to tackling race inequality and to be accountable for taking actions. It is something that is very important to all of us and to our colleagues across the organisation.”
BHP hosts work experience academy to provide a taste of the workplace for young people
BHP offices at Chesterfield Waterside. Image supplied by Derbyshire Economic Partnership
Chesterfield accountancy firm, BHP has recently supported a number of young people by providing a work experience programme this summer.
The firm launched its first ever work experience academy, which the firm expained on its Linkedin page was well recieved by those who took part. The company said: “Our participants really enjoyed the practical, structured programme and many of them said they’ve been inspired to pursue a career in finance following their time with us, which is so great to hear!
“We’re really looking forward to meeting and getting to know our new Graduate and Non-Graduate trainees, who will be joining us very soon.”
Chesterfield FC, Vicar Lane, Fairplay, Chesterfield Royal Hospital and BHP support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Work is due to begin on the new 650-home community in Mastin Moor, near Staveley after planning approval was granted this week.
The Devonshire Group, which owns the 46-hectare site, will now begin enabling works for phases 1 and 2 of the project, which will pave the way for the first homes to be delivered. These include creation of a new access road, services and the formation of public open space.
The preparatory works are due to complete in late spring 2024, with work on the new homes set to begin over the summer of 2024 on the first phase of 143 three, four and five- bedroom homes, by local developer Harron Homes.
The enabling works will also pave the way for the launch of the Construction Skills Hub, a Staveley Town Deal project, developed by Chesterfield Borough Council and to be operated by Chesterfield College in conjunction with the University of Derby. The Devonshire Group has collaborated on and supported the Council to deliver this innovative project.
The Skills Hub will provide a practical platform for construction training, careers activity and work experience on a live construction site. Over ten years, the hub aims to provide training, careers insights, and work experience for over 5,000 learners.
As well as providing support for trade skills, this partnership provides the opportunity to progress to a university level and develop the skills needed for roles like quantity surveyor or estimator, helping develop skills in the local community and provide new career opportunities.
Andrew Byrne, Property Development Director at the Devonshire Group, said: “Receiving planning approval marks an exciting next step for our development at Mastin Moor. We are now able to get underway with works in earnest and start to see the project really take shape.
“Our focus now is to ensure that we move the project forward quickly, while also prioritising a considered, sustainable and sensitive approach for the benefit of the wider community that we serve. We’re looking forward to continuing this journey and creating a place that will contribute to the area and provide new homes for local people.’
Upon completion, the new community at Mastin Moor will deliver 650 new homes, including affordable and accessible properties, elderly accommodation and a local centre. The development will also provide almost 20 hectares of publicly accessible open space and landscaping, significantly enhancing the biodiversity on site.
The project is expected to take 10 years to complete and create 150 direct construction jobs, as well as 250 roles in the supply chain and elsewhere.
Outline planning permission for the site was approved by Committee in December 2022.
The Devonshire Group supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
The University of Derby, which has a teaching campus in Chesterfield, has been ranked in the Top 20 for assessment and feedback in this year’s National Student Survey (NSS).
This includes the clarity, fairness, timeliness and usefulness of feedback and marking, and how well assessments have allowed students to demonstrate their learning.
In addition, 33 individual programmes at Derby were rated positively for teaching quality by 90% or more students on that course.
The annual high-profile survey also asks about students’ university experience including the quality of teaching, learning opportunities and resources, academic support, organisation and management, as well as student voice. This year, more than 339,000 students across the UK cast their views.
Professor Keith McLay, Provost (Learning & Teaching) at the University of Derby, said:
“Universities exist to enrich the lives and careers of students, to provide inspirational experiences and to ensure our future society is enhanced by graduates with the skills and knowledge it needs.
“Students must live and learn in a community which is enriched by academic research, and gives them the support they need to become the best possible version of themselves.
“At Derby, our aim is for our students to become thought leaders of the future, raise the bar and make a difference in the world. We encourage curiosity and innovation and, as a result, we see our students thrive.
“Our students are surrounded by a community of expert academics who are undertaking life-changing research. Our focus is on providing them with an education that is grounded in excellence and innovation through high-quality teaching and learning and a curriculum that is industry-relevant and research-informed.”
The National Student Survey is a key component of the quality assurance and wider regulatory landscape in UK higher education. It is managed by the Office for Students on behalf of the UK funding and regulatory bodies – the Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland), the Scottish Funding Council and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.
This year is the first time the survey has not included an overall satisfaction score for English institutions. The survey also changed its question typeand answer scale, and introduced additional questions on mental wellbeing services and freedom of expression.
The University of Derby’s St Helena Campus in Chesterfield was recently visited by HRH The Princess Royal – read more about the visit here.
The University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
The date for next summer’s Chesterfield Pride festival has been confirmed, following another successful event which saw more than 5,000 people attend last month.
July’s celebration saw huge names performing including A1, Tinchy Stryder, Baga Chipz, Stooshe and many more. The event also saw the launch of its hugely successful “Kids Zone” which had lots of arts and crafts and Drag Queen story time. Chesterfield Pride has cemented itself as one of the country’s favourite LGBTQ Pride events.
Organisers say planning for 2024 has already begun for next year’s celebration, which will take place on Sunday, 21st July. Tickets are now on sale for the event.
Dan Walker, Organiser of Chesterfield Pride commented: “I love Chesterfield as a Town. The Town has seen some fantastic growth in recent years and is a great place to live and work. We have had amazing support from local businesses and the community for the event and this has helped us push the event to become really successful.
“We are so proud how far the event has come in a relatively short space of time. To think there was nothing before 2015 to now have an event that attracts over 5000 people is unbelievable. We are passionate about the event and look forward to growing it even further.
“2023 was a huge success and we can’t thank everyone that attended enough. The weather was less than perfect, however the atmosphere made up for this. The whole event was a sea of colour and smiles. We had so many areas of the community attend. We are proud to be a community event.
Dan added: “We are passionate about keeping the event entry costs low making it more accessible to everyone including families (under 16’s go free) The event is run not for profit and by volunteers.”
One of Ireland’s leading industrial automation and electrical engineering companies has opened its UK headquarters in the centre of Chesterfield today.
NeoDyne’s newly recruited team, based at the company’s state-of-the-art Spire Walk office, was joined at the launch by Toby Perkins MP, Shadow Minister for Skills and Further Education; local councillors Jenny Flood and Keith Miles, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council Amanda Serjeant; and Dom Stevens from Destination Chesterfield.
Referring to Chesterfield’s long history of engineering excellence, Matt Close, UK Business Lead, said NeoDyne was harnessing the area’s potential and local talent to guarantee the success of the office. “Chesterfield was the ideal location to base our UK headquarters, with its accessibility to the midlands and the north,” he said. “We are proud to invest in and support the local economy and to work closely with Destination Chesterfield to champion the area.”
Matt Close joined NeoDyne at the start of the year, bringing over 25 years’ experience of working with leading UK automation and engineering companies. He will head up the Chesterfield team.
Introducing Matt, Martin Farrell, NeoDyne MD, said, “With his industrial background, knowledge of our sectors and business connections, Matt brings a wealth of experience and local knowledge to the team. Matt has already grown our UK operation to 15 engineers with plans for significant further expansion. I am confident our UK office will go from strength to strength under his leadership.”
The launch was also attended by representatives from local universities, including Sam Trafford, Andrea Huidan and Greg Stewart, University of Sheffield; and Joe Hockney and John Sorsby, Sheffield Hallam University.
Thanking them for attending, Matt said, “Working with local institutions like Sheffield Hallam University and The University of Sheffield has helped us build a talented and skilled UK-based team. This talent pipeline is another key factor behind our decision to base ourselves in Chesterfield. We are committed to partnering with local universities to help develop future engineering talent through placement and graduate recruitment programmes.”
Toby Perkins MP said: “I am delighted to be joining NeoDyne for the opening ceremony of their new premises in Chesterfield. It is a real show of confidence in our town that NeoDyne has chosen to open here, bringing with them new jobs, and helping to boost the local economy. The company is bringing in highly-skilled jobs and will be a welcome addition to the strong engineering and manufacturing base we have here in Chesterfield.
“Manufacturing in Chesterfield has changed from the days when thousands turned up at factory gates every morning, but still there are products across the world, that are ‘Made in Chesterfield’. “I look forward to formally welcoming NeoDyne to our town and discussing their plans for the future.”
NeoDyne has enjoyed continued growth since its launch in 1998 and employs more than 170 automation, electrical, and IT engineers in six offices across the UK and Ireland.
As a leading industrial automation and electrical engineering solutions and services provider, the company has more than 300 customers, including large multinationals in pharma, high-end food and beverage manufacturing and energy.
Looking to expand or relocate your organisation? Find out why Chesterfield is the perfect location to base your business here.
Demand for office space has soared in Chesterfield, Derbyshire’s largest town, following the completion of several high-quality schemes, according to new figures published today by Destination Chesterfield.
Demand for space in Chesterfield’s enterprise centres, which provide flexible accommodation for start-ups and businesses with high growth potential, has increased since Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, the town’s newest centre, opened in July 2022.
More than three-quarters (81 per cent) of the office suites are now occupied at Northern Gateway, well ahead of a 50 per cent 12-month target set by Chesterfield Borough Council. Almost half (14) of tenants at Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre are new to Chesterfield, and have either fully relocated to or opened satellite offices in the town since July 2022.
Occupancy rates at Chesterfield’s established enterprise centres have rebounded to above pre-pandemic levels. 85 per cent of space at Dunston Innovation Centre and 87 per cent of Tapton Park Innovation Centre is now let. Occupancy at both locations was below 80 per cent at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and had fallen to 67 per cent at Dunston and 57 per cent at Tapton Park during the third national lockdown in early 2021.
Two floors of One Waterside Place, a 35,000 sq ft office block next to Chesterfield’s mainline railway station are now occupied and Chesterfield Borough Council reports strong interest in the remaining space. Opened in January 2023, One Waterside Place is located in Basin Square, a major part of the £340m Chesterfield Waterside regeneration scheme.
One Waterside Place
Private landlords are also succeeding in attracting businesses to new developments in Chesterfield. Occupancy has reached 94 per cent at The Glass Yard, a 50,000 sq ft office and retail park opened in 2022 by Blue Deer on Sheffield Road, Chesterfield. And FI Real Estate Management has secured deals on 1,143 sq ft and 7,647 sq ft spaces at The HQ, a former Royal Mail building delivering 44,000 sq ft of open-plan office space after refurbishment work completed in April 2023.
Chesterfield Borough Council is supporting a series of projects to provide high-quality commercial space for businesses. It has helped bring to market almost 300,000 square feet of modern office, industrial, manufacturing and logistics space since the start of 2022, and expects to make further premises totalling more than a million sq ft available by the middle of 2025.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of Destination Chesterfield, comments: “Our local economy is growing and the investments we have made in modern attractive office space has helped bring new businesses into the town and created new jobs for our residents. Our investment coupled with our central location, culture of invention, competitive cost base and quality of life, is driving growth across the borough. Demand is soaring from local start-ups, relocating entrepreneurs from the likes of London, Leeds and Sheffield, and bigger businesses wanting more space or to consolidate their facilities in a single, central location.”
Tim Turner, Managing Director at Blue Deer Ltd, comments: “Chesterfield is a thriving business location and the perfect place for the mix of office and retail space we offer at The Glass Yard. Demand for space here has been particularly strong since we opened last year, both from local companies and incoming businesses.”
The Glassyard
Dom Knowles, Head of Offices at FI Real Estate Management (FIREM), comments: “We’re passionate about putting Chesterfield on the map as a great place to work, improving its offering in line with nearby cities and enriching the lives of the local business community. We recently carried out a £1.2m refurbishment of The HQ to update the building to a Grade A workspace and we’re already receiving high levels of interest. The HQ offers excellent bespoke office solutions and benefits from well-connected rail and road transport networks, making it a great choice for businesses.”
The HQ, Chesterfield
Chesterfield’s business population has grown by more than a fifth (21 per cent) in the last decade, creating 2,000 new jobs, including 1,800 high-value roles in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and professional services. The town recently published an ambitious growth strategy to attract 400 more businesses and 2,000 more jobs by 2030.
Tennis courts in Staveley have officially reopened after a £130,000 renovation, and local youngsters can try out the new facilities at free taster sessions this month.
The courts in King George V Park were reopened at an official ceremony attended by Toby Perkins MP, Councillor Jonathan Davies, representatives from the Lawn Tennis Association and coaches from Tennis Chesterfield on Friday 4 August.
Extensive work has been undertaken to ensure the courts can be used by the community for many years to come, including resurfacing and painting, new fencing, new nets, and a new gate system. The improvements have been managed by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), and funded by the UK Government, LTA Tennis Foundation and Chesterfield Borough Council.
Refurbishment of the tennis courts follows on from a series of investments in the park including the installation of new play equipment, an outdoor gym and improvements to the bowling facilities, multi-use games area, and skate park. Together this has led to the park earning Green Flag status – an internationally recognised mark of quality parks and green spaces.
Councillor Jonathan Davies, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “It’s fantastic to see these courts reopen.
“Public tennis facilities help people of all ages get more active. They also give visitors to our parks more quality options for their leisure.
“We’re committed to providing fantastic facilities in all our parks and investing in facilities like these tennis courts in Staveley, so everyone can enjoy our green spaces.”
Through the Parks Tennis Project, the LTA is delivering the biggest ever investment in parks tennis facilities across Britain, which has been used to transform the courts in Staveley, providing a significant boost to sporting facilities.
This nationwide programme of investment is seeing thousands of existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country, providing vital opportunities for children and adults to get active.
Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said: “After months of hard work, we’re delighted to see park tennis courts in Staveley officially back open to the public, and in better shape than ever.
“Public tennis courts are such vital facilities for getting active and we want as many people as possible, of all ages and abilities, to pick up a racket and enjoy playing tennis. Thanks to this investment the sport will be opened up to more players, for years to come.”
Stuart Andrew MP, Sports Minister, said: “We are committed to levelling up access to sport which is so important for the nation’s physical and mental health.
“The Government and the LTA are working together to deliver thousands of refurbished courts across Great Britain, supported by £30 million of investment including in Staveley.
“These improved tennis facilities in Staveley will provide the local community with fun opportunities to get active and potentially become the next Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu.”
As well as weekly free park tennis sessions, with equipment provided, the new courts will host Local Tennis Leagues, giving people the opportunity to get involved in friendly and social local competitions.
The LTA and Chesterfield Borough Council will work together to ensure free park tennis sessions are available on the courts, providing regular opportunities for anyone to pick up a racket and play.
If there are any issues with the courts like damaged nets or fencing, you can report this by either calling the council on 01246 345345 or reporting online at: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/my-chesterfield
In August, Tennis Chesterfield will be hosting free taster sessions for children, which have been funded through the Holiday Activity Fund. Find out more about these sessions and book online: https://itsaboutmederbyshire.co.uk/
New booking systems and gate access technology means it is now easier for everyone to get on court by booking in advance to guarantee availability. The courts will be free throughout August and there will then be a small fee of £6 per hour to ensure that the courts are maintained at the new high standard for years to come.
Courts are available for the public to book via the LTA website: www.lta.org.uk/play
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