Celebrate Chesterfield

Chesterfield non-essential retailers gear up for re-opening

With April 12 on the horizon, Chesterfield’s non-essential retailers are gearing up for the reopening of their stores as we enter step two of the easing of lockdown.

While the town’s retailers have shown resilience and adapted in the face of adversity, adapting to lockdown with social media promotion, click and collect and online sales, both essential and non-essential retail business owners and shoppers are looking forward to heading back into physical stores once more. To find out more about shopping in Chesterfield and how you can support local independent businesses, please visit: www.chesterfield.co.uk/wereback

Steph Mannion, owner of Steph’s Sustainable Stuff who was named Market Trader of the Year in the 2020 Chesterfield High Street Awards, explained: “As an essential trader on Chesterfield market, I’ve stood throughout the latest lockdown. The market hasn’t been the same without my fellow traders and I’m eager to see them back and feel the market buzzing again.

“It’s more important than ever that we all support our independent retailers, whether that be in shops or on the market, to make sure that our lovely town bounces out of covid restrictions and moves forward into a better future.”

Steph's Sustainable Stuff

Looking forward to re-opening Laura Jo, Owner of Adorn Jewellers in The Shambles commented: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming our customers back to Adorn when we can. At the moment, we see our lovely shop as the sleeping beauty and we are hoping that when she awakes, people will enjoy visiting again.

“We are very fortunate in Chesterfield to have a fabulous mix of independent shops, bars and restaurants along with some of the bigger familiar high street names. There is no doubt that the world looks different after the pandemic, however the people of Chesterfield are a wonderful community and I have no doubt that our lovely town will continue to thrive with their support.”

Adorn Jewellers

Luke Shah, Director of Huckleberry Willow agreed with Laura Jo saying: “I believe the best thing about independent businesses is that they are run by individual people, which gives us and the other great independent businesses in Chesterfield more character and personality. We have had regular customers for over 40 years, which I hope means our customers have a great shopping experience at Huckleberry Willow.”

Mr Shah, who was the winner of last year’s Home, Gifts and Leisure Retailer of the Year category in the Chesterfield High Street Awards, added: “We are looking forward to welcoming our regular, new and old customers back to the shop.”

Huckleberry Willow

Theresa Goldsmith of The Goldsmith Clinic is also looking forward to welcoming clients back. She said: “Clients have missed us as much as we have missed them. As a business specialising in wellbeing and health we have had to close at a time when, arguably, people needed our services the most. Within minutes of Boris Johnson announcing the road map out of lockdown, my inbox was full of people requesting appointments. The diary is already full and we have everything crossed that the roadmap for the 12th April goes to plan.”

Goldsmith Group

Like many businesses, social media has been used extensively by The Goldsmith Clinic to keep customers engaged and informed during lockdown.

Laura Jo explained how Adorn has been using social media to remain connected with its customers during lockdown: “We’ve been keeping in touch with our sparkly community online through our YouTube channel and with our Friday night live each week on Facebook. We’ve been so happy with the love and support that our customers have shown us throughout this difficult time but we’re very much looking forward to seeing them in person again.”

Emily Lord, owner of Fred’s Haberdashery agreed, adding: “We are looking forward to welcoming customers back into the shop again and hope people will continue to make use of all the shops and services in the town centre.”

Emily bought the long-established business last year and moved to new, larger premises in the town centre just weeks before lockdown. Despite the setback, the business continued to trade using the click and collect service and has since added a new service.

She explained: “There has been one significant change for us during lockdown and we are thrilled to be reopening with the addition of Fred’s Frames, a bespoke picture framing service. I would like to thank all of our customers that have used the Click and Collect service and extend my warm wishes to all of the other town centre businesses as they reopen.”

Fred’s Haberdashery is just one of a number of non-essential retailers that added a Click and Collect service to their offering during the pandemic.

To support non-essential retail and hospitality businesses during lockdown, Destination Chesterfield dedicated a full page on its website to supporting businesses in the sectors by listing details of how shopper could access online shopping, click and collect and delivery services.

A new web page has since been launched to Destination Chesterfield’s website supporting the partial reopening of the hospitality sector. The page – https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/2021/03/top-tips-for-outdoor-dining-and-activities-in-chesterfield/ – gives details of business in the sector who are providing outdoor dining and activities from 12 April.

Junction Bar

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “We’re all incredibly excited to welcome shoppers back to the high street and see our town centre thriving once more. Seeing our favourite businesses adapt with online shopping and click and collect services has been inspiring, but shopping in Chesterfield is an experience you just can’t replicate at home.

“We’re encouraging everyone to #LoveChesterfield and support our local high street in what’s such a crucial time for small, local independent businesses – your purchase could make a real difference.”

Neil Johnson, Director – Economic Growth at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Our local shops and retailers really need our support at the town centre opens again. Spending a few pounds a week with local businesses will make a massive difference to them. Chesterfield is a fantastic place to shop. We pride ourselves on being a friendly town, with many great independent businesses who are ready to welcome everyone back.”

To find out more about shopping in Chesterfield and how you can support local independent businesses, please visit: www.chesterfield.co.uk/wereback

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Leisure, Love Chesterfield, Visiting

Conference hears how Chesterfield’s resilience has set the town on a path of swift pandemic recovery

Chesterfield’s resilience in the face of adversity has been borne out by figures shared at today’s (31 March) Celebrate Chesterfield event organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Addooco IT.

At the virtual conference it was revealed that SMEs are reporting growth in turnover and staff numbers during the pandemic, while estate agents in the borough are achieving up to 103 per cent on asking price with up to eight buyers per property.

Despite the pandemic, more than £1bn of regeneration projects are currently underway in the borough, including the multi-million pound Chesterfield Waterside, Glass Yard, Northern Gateway and PEAK schemes.

Speaking at the conference Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council praised the sector’s can-do attitude during the pandemic.

He said: “There is a fantastic landscape of development happening in the town in the middle of the pandemic. I think it says everything about Chesterfield in terms of the ambition of the place and the fact we are not going to just bunker down but actually get on and invest in quality developments right across the town and borough.”

Work has also begun on a McDonalds restaurant and drive-thru on the site of a long-derelict former multi-storey car park at West Bars. Sixty-five jobs will be created when the fast-food giant opens at the location later this year.

Most recently, Staveley received £25.2million from the Government’s Town Deal programme. It is being billed as one of the largest economic programmes in the borough in recent history.

Speaking at the conference Ivan Fomin, Chair of Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “We want Staveley to become a place to start, to stay and grow to deliver inclusive growth opportunities for the people of Staveley over the next five years.”

While 1,100 Chesterfield businesses temporarily closed during the latest lockdown, Dr Bowen is optimistic they will re-open and access the support and grants the Council has put in place to enable them to re-start. Nearly £60million in business rates relief and grants has been distributed by Chesterfield Borough Council to businesses during the pandemic.

“Our first priority is to support existing businesses to survive and restart,” added Dr Bowen.

Marketing the town, he said, was critical to the council’s Economic Recovery Plan post pandemic and praised the work of Destination Chesterfield in its work to attract inward investment.

He added: “We want people to relocate and start up in business here, so we are working closely with other Derbyshire councils and the East Midlands Chamber to make available start-up funding to encourage entrepreneurs to the town and borough.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield welcomed Dr Bowen’s comments saying: “Chesterfield has proved time and time again that it is a resilient and strong town which consistently performs well in the face of adversity.

“During the pandemic we have seen major projects start to come out of the ground which is testimony to our forward-thinking council and a key reason why investors from outside the area are keen to do business with us on major projects like PEAK, Waterside and HS2.

“Twelve months ago our annual Celebrate Chesterfield event looked to be anything but a celebration. However, we have attracted investment, jobs have been created and a plan is in place to ensure not only that we recover quickly from the pandemic but that we are stronger because of it. There is much to celebrate now and for the future of Chesterfield.”

In addition to Dr Bowen, speakers at the annual free event also included Andy Dabbs and Jillian Mitchell the Chair and Vice Chair respectively of the newly formed Property and Construction Group, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield and was launched at Celebrate Chesterfield 21

The group brings together leaders from the area’s property and construction sectors to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield.

Celebrate Chesterfield 2021 was sponsored by University of Derby, Whittam Cox Architects and Markham Vale – Derbyshire’s flagship regeneration scheme, who joined headline sponsor Addooco IT.

Richard Walters, owner of Chesterfield technology specialist Addooco IT Ltd, commented: “The concept of ‘Celebrating Chesterfield’ really resonates with me as there is such a rich history of innovation here. Having identified early in 2020 how challenging the next 12 months and beyond would likely become we accelerated our investment plans to help minimise the impact of the situation, whilst creating four new job roles to help cope with demand. This ensured ample capacity and performance for our existing clients and those who we’ve welcomed to Addooco over the last year.”

If you were unable to attend the live Celebrate Chesterfield 2021 event, the presentations are available to watch via the online platform until 14 April. For free access to the platform please contact mollie.brown@chesterfield.co.uk.

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Chesterfield’s first Property and Construction Group launched

A pioneering Chesterfield Property and Construction Group has been launched at the annual Celebrate Chesterfield event held on 31 March 2021.

The new group, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, brings together leaders from the area’s property and construction sectors to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield.

It is chaired by Andy Dabbs, Architect and Board Director at Chesterfield-based Whittam Cox Architects which is behind the town’s £19.9 million Northern Gateway Development project.

He explained: “Within the new group there’s a diverse range of talent- architects, construction specialists, landowners and developers; a true collective who have joined forces for the good of the town and to benefit everyone living here.

“We’re all passionate about Chesterfield and what it has to offer everyone living and working here. It’s full of potential, it’s perfectly located, and offers a plethora of independent shops and hotels and collectively we shall be flying the flag for the town not only locally but regionally and nationally through our individual networks.”

The new Chesterfield Property and Construction Group is one of a number of sector-specific Destination Chesterfield groups, including the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Manufacturing Forum, which share a vision to make the town an attractive place to live, work and invest in.

The action-focused Chesterfield Property and Construction Group meets quarterly. The next meeting, which is free to attend, will be held virtually on Wednesday 16 June.

The group has already identified four key themes that will be led by members of the group, specifically the skills agenda, business support, promote investment in Chesterfield and sustainability and wellbeing.

Vice chair, architect and founding director of Markham Vale-based Lomas and Mitchell Architects, Jillian Mitchell will lead the sustainability and wellbeing theme within the group.

She explained “Sustainability is at the heart of our practice. We specialise in designing low energy, healthy and beautiful buildings so I was keen to lead this theme. In doing so it enables me to engage directly with bigger businesses and gain a wider perspective. It also gives me the opportunity to find out what’s happening within other areas and to learn from each other.”

Andy, who has lived in Dronfield all of his life and feels strongly about Chesterfield’s potential, added: “Chesterfield has held its own during the pandemic, with continuous investment and development taking place. The Glass Yard, Chesterfield Waterside and

Peak Resort developments are perfect examples of investors believing in our town and we want to keep driving this forward.”

“The group aims to provide a platform for professionals in the property and construction sector that can be used to help market Chesterfield as an area of interest to a wide range of investors.”

Appealing for the sector to come together and join the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group, Jillian added: “It is very much a case of together we are stronger so we hope more organisations and individuals from both the public and private sector will join the group.

“It is an opportunity for us all to pool our varied and extensive expertise, using the collective to support others in helping shape the built environment of Chesterfield both now and for future generations.”

To find out more about become a member of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group contact Propertygroup@chesterfield.co.uk or visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/chesterfield-property-and-construction-group

 

Posted in Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , ,

Bolt tightening ceremony marks another milestone in Chesterfield Waterside

Progress on the town’s £340 million Chesterfield Waterside scheme has taken another step forward with the completion of the steel framework for One Waterside Place.

Contractor Britcon (UK) Ltd, a leading Civil Engineering, Building and Steel Frame Solutions company, began erection of the steel frame for the seven-storey office block in February earlier this year.

With people still being advised to stay at home amidst the pandemic Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, joined a bolt tightening ceremony, marking another stage in the development’s progress, via video conferencing technology.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see this building progressing at such pace. When complete One Waterside Place will provide modern office accommodation for businesses and in turn will create more jobs for local residents.

“It is just one of several high-quality developments around the borough that will help ensure we are in the strongest possible position to recover from the impact of the pandemic, as a thriving borough with lots of opportunities for business development and economic growth.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Chesterfield Waterside Ltd and Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group said: “The bolt tightening ceremony represents another milestone in the construction of One Waterside Place and is further step forward in the creation of a quality modern office environment in Chesterfield; one that that meets the demands of the most discerning occupiers in the post Covid economy.

“Construction is on track to be completed later this year with tenants already committed to moving into some of the floors of this ‘Grade A’ new office building. It is a tremendously exciting time not only for Chesterfield Waterside, but also the town as a whole.”

Nick Shepherd, Managing Director of Britcon added: “We are delighted to be working with Chesterfield Waterside Ltd in delivering this iconic and modern commercial office building. Working in partnership with our client and associated stakeholders we are not only delivering a construction project, but also pulling together our experience and resources to utilise the build process as both an educational and local employment opportunity.”

The event held special significance for Peter Swallow and Nick Shepherd who were once both students at Chesterfield College which sits above the development. Britcon and Chesterfield Waterside are working with closely throughout the whole build process and hope to invite students to site once restrictions allow. Construction of the office block began last year following the securing of a forward funding agreement between Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield Waterside Ltd, as a key strategic investment opportunity for the town.

With the steel frame complete, Britcon will now begin installing the concrete flooring ahead of making the building watertight and then beginning the internal fit-out before tenants move in later this year.

Chesterfield-based accountancy firm BHP Chartered Accountants have already committed to occupy a floor of One Waterside Place once complete.

One Waterside Place is part of a wider business and residential offering in phase one of Basin which comprises offices, a hotel, multi-storey car park and build-to-rent apartments, which will be centred around the new canal basin and pedestrianised public realm which will become the new home for the renowned Dame Barbara Hepworth sculpture.

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

To find out more about the office space available at One Waterside Place, please contact Harry Orwin-Allen at Knight Frank on 0114 272 9750 or Tim Richardson at FHP Property Consultants 01332 343 222.

Keep up-to-date with the latest developments at Chesterfield Waterside at ChesterfieldWaterside.co.uk or follow the development on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find out more on our developments page.

Waterside Ltd. supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through  Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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New business gets off to a flying start at Markham Vale

Daher Aerospace Limited is the latest business to join Markham Vale – a flagship regeneration site in North Derbyshire – creating 23 new jobs.

The aircraft manufacturer and industry and service equipment supplier has been awarded a new contract to provide logistic services from their base at Markham Vale for Alstom in Derby which is building new monorail lines in Cairo.

Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King said: “We are extremely delighted to welcome Daher Aerospace Limited to our family of businesses at Markham Vale creating 23 new jobs for the area.

“After a very challenging year for businesses this announcement sends a strong signal to other investors that Derbyshire is a place that helps businesses to survive and thrive.

“We’re thrilled they have chosen Markham Vale and have confidence in the Derbyshire economy and its potential for growth.”

The business has moved into MV55 – a pre-built 55,000 square foot industrial warehouse at the site located at Junction 29A of the M1 in Derbyshire.

Michael Betteridge at Daher Aerospace said: “Following our success in being awarded a new logistics contract, the attractiveness of Markham Vale both in terms of location and building fitted perfectly with our requirements.”

This latest announcement follows a successful start to the year for Markham Vale as two large units for Aver Property Partnership Limited – a joint venture between Ergo and NFU Mutual – are due to complete in the coming weeks.

And popular restaurant Chester’s has chosen the site for its second location with planning permission granted and work due to begin on site in the next few weeks.

Richard Hinds, Development Surveyor at Henry Boot Developments, said: “Markham Vale proved an ideal location for Daher, with brand new industrial space close to key motorway networks and a strong local skills base. We’ve no doubt that MV55 will prove a very successful base for the business.”

Find out more about Markham Vale here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/markham-vale/

Henry Boot Developments supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through  Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield Waterside progressing well in 2021

The town’s £340 million Chesterfield Waterside scheme continues apace following the submission of an additional Reserved Matters application for the remaining elements of Basin Square, to the new ‘One Waterside Place’ office accommodation.

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

Since 2019 the scheme has made significant progress with construction beginning on 173 two, three and four-bedroom homes at Waterside Quarter in 2020 followed by the start of construction on the seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place at Basin Square, in 2020.

Avant Homes’ £36 million development forms part of The Park character area of Chesterfield Waterside and is the company’s largest site in the Chesterfield area to date.

The showhomes opened in August last year and in only six months nearly 20% of the 173 homes at Waterside Quarter have been sold with some already occupied.

Avant Homes Central head of sales, Dawn Bennett, said: “We’ve received a great response from buyers at our Waterside Quarter development and interest in our homes has remained consistently strong since its launch in 2020.

“In September, we unveiled three of our design-led two, three and four-bedroom showhomes, which were shortly followed by our first residents moving into their homes.

“Work on-site is still progressing well and with more than 30 homes now sold, we’re hugely excited to continue to see great success at Waterside Quarter.

“The showhomes comprise of The Beckbridge, The Northbridge and The Westbridge house types, all of which have elevations that are entirely bespoke to this development. These properties have given interested buyers a chance to see the Avant Homes specification first-hand by personal appointment and, as a result, we’ve seen a surge in interest for our homes.”

Last year, the Basin Square character area at Chesterfield Waterside also made significant progress. The first phase will see the delivery of Grade A office space, known as One Waterside Place, to meet the requirements of local occupiers. Tenants have already been secured for part of the building, and further tenants are being sought by property agents Knight Frank and FHP. In September 2020 Chesterfield Borough Council secured a forward funding agreement with Chesterfield Waterside Ltd, to bring forward construction of Waterside Place in the Basin Square neighbourhood of the development.

Harry Orwin-Allen from the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, said: “Chesterfield Waterside is an exciting, high quality, mixed-use scheme which will revitalise the eastern side of Chesterfield on an unprecedented scale for the town.

“This development comes at a time when Chesterfield is becoming a popular base for SMEs with its good town centre facilities and links to the motorway network.”

The office block is part of a wider business and residential offering in phase one of Basin which comprises offices, a hotel, multi-storey car park and build-to-rent apartments, which will be centred around the new canal basin and pedestrianized public realm which will be home to the renowned Dame Barbara Hepworth sculpture.

Britcon (UK) Ltd, a leading Civil Engineering, Building and Steel Frame Solutions company began construction of the office block in October. As part of the contract with Chesterfield Borough Council, Britcon will utilise local labour and local contractors across the whole build process as well as working closely with Chesterfield College.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Work is progressing well on site and we hope that One Waterside Place will be complete and ready for businesses to move into from September 2021. The development, which is being led by local company Bolsterstone PLC, has already created around £1.7 million of orders for local contractors. The project is also helping young people develop skills – an innovative partnership with the college is allowing students to track the process and learn more about the construction industry. When Covid-19 restrictions allow, there are further plans for site visits for local schools, and on-site work experience opportunities.

“Waterside is just one of several major developments in Chesterfield that will help ensure the town has a strong economic recovery following the pandemic. Together with our HS2 Station Masterplan it will see that area of the town completely transformed, making it more attractive for visitors and businesses, which will help further strengthen the local economy and ensure there are great opportunities available to everyone in our community.”

Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group PLC which is leading the Chesterfield Waterside scheme, said: “We are delighted with the progress Chesterfield Waterside is making with both the residential and commercial offering. The strong interest from both residents and businesses is testament to both the progressive design and quality of the buildings at Waterside.

“The submission of the Reserved Matters application ensures that the progress we are making continues at pace despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.”

You can find out more about the Chesterfield Waterside development here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/chesterfield-waterside/

To book an appointment to view the showhomes at Waterside Quarter call 01246 889 450 or visit www.avanthomes.co.uk/waterside-quarter/

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Students wow the Gateway at PEAK development team with architectural designs

Students at the University of Derby have impressed the team at Milligan, who are developing the Gateway at PEAK, after unveiling their architectural visions for the UK’s first fully-serviced national park gateway based in Chesterfield.

The Gateway at PEAK will be part of the 300-acre PEAK Resort, consented on the eastern boundary of the Peak District. As part of developer Milligan and landowner Birchall Properties’ partnership with the University of Derby, undergraduate and Masters level students responded to a live brief and were challenged to assume the role of architect on the project.

The students were asked to consider local communities, wildlife preservation, sustainable design with a Net Zero Carbon objective, and respectfully incorporate the Peak District’s natural beauty into their designs.

The students worked in teams to envision scheme designs and complementary uses such as F&B, retail and exhibits, delivering unique concepts that offered a broad spectrum of options for the developers to consider.

After all the proposals were submitted, the Milligan development shortlisted four finalists who were awarded a share of £1,000.

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Dr Boris Ceranic, Course Director for Masters Programmes and Centre of Excellence Leader at the University of Derby, said: “I was impressed by the quality of the work and particularly pleased by the way undergraduate and Masters students have worked together as a team to deliver such complex and demanding design charrette briefs.

The designs were inspiring, with highly sustainable and distinctive visions of unique visitor experiences, resolved through proposals that blurred the boundaries between the open and enclosed, solid and transparent, static and fluid, natural and built environment.”

Lecturer, Graham Markwell comments, “This live project has allowed us to work with industry partners to deliver a high-quality experiential learning initiative. The students have produced innovative solutions to the brief provided and have greatly benefitted from interacting with professional clients and real-world projects.”

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Gary Dawson, second year student on the BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Venue Design talks about the project and the valuable experience it provided; “We really enjoyed working on the project, being able to apply our creative skills to a public space of the future was fantastic and gave a real sense of how we will apply the skills we are learning in future careers. Having the opportunity to push ourselves and see what we can accomplish, in the limited time we had, helped us all begin to realise what we are capable of achieving and what our futures might be like.”

For Milligan the project was a great way of not only accessing some fresh thinking for the development but also a way of inspiring the next generation of creative talent within the industry.

Paul Hanegraaf, Creative Director at Milligan notes “I was blown away by the quality and thought put into each submission – especially as the students had little under a week to prepare.

We have been developing the plans for the Gateway at PEAK for some time and will soon be announcing the architect we have appointed before revealing their plans later in the year.

It’s wonderful to have input and inspiration from the next generation of designers, planners and architects, after all, it is that generation we’re building this inspiring place for.”

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

Rupert Carr, Director of Birchall Properties adds “I was delighted with the quality and the quantity of the work produced by the students in such a short period of time. It was nothing less than remarkable and I was genuinely uplifted by the thinking and consideration behind the concepts the students shared.

“Of particular note for me was the way all teams expressed real enthusiasm for and belief in the potential for a better built environment, one with an underlying philosophy to deliver social and environmental benefits as well as great commercial opportunities”.

The Gateway at PEAK is part of PEAK Resort, where works for the all-weather, all-year, all-ages Summit at PEAK, are already underway. PEAK Resort also has planning permission for up to 2,000 hotel rooms and 250 lodges as well as a whole range of leisure, education and entertainment facilities, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities.

The Gateway at Peak architectural designs – University of Derby

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£25.2m investment for Staveley announced

Town leaders have welcomed a multi-million pound funding boost which will pave the way for significant regeneration in a former mining community in North Derbyshire.

Staveley is set to benefit from £25.2m worth of funding following the Government’s Town Deal programme announcement today – presenting a ‘golden opportunity’ to transform the area for future generations.

It follows a successful bid for funding by the Staveley Town Deal Board, which submitted a Town Investment Plan to unlock the funding package for a range of projects that will drive long term economic growth, offer quality skills and employment opportunities and improve the green spaces and canal network around Staveley.

And it is a further boost for the borough’s wider growth agenda – adding to the significant and sustained investments that are already being made across the area to ensure Chesterfield’s communities are in the strongest possible position to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “We are delighted at the news from Government today that Staveley stands to be awarded £25.2m as part of the Towns Fund.

“Our plans are rooted in the needs and aspirations of Staveley’s communities, and have been driven by the Board’s collective ambitions to attract the investment that this area deserves.

“Bringing funding on this scale to Staveley will transform the area and realise huge benefits to local people, both in terms of how they lead their everyday lives and take advantage of future opportunities. As a local businessman and Chair of the Town Deal Board, I am thrilled that Government has recognised the potential of our place and sees the value in backing our Town Investment Plan.”

The funding will be spent over a five-year period, steered by the Staveley Town Deal Board, and with the overall programme managed by Chesterfield Borough Council.

It follows an earlier successful bid by the Board under the Government’s Accelerator Fund – securing £500,000 worth of funding for grassroots projects. They include a new state-of-the-art all-weather sports pitch at Springwell Community College, new play equipment for King George V Playing Field and new CCTV equipment for Staveley town centre.

Welcoming the news, Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, added: “Today’s announcement is tremendous news for our borough, and for the communities of Staveley who are set to benefit from this sizeable investment in a range of exciting projects and programmes.

“This is a golden opportunity which paves the way for this former mining community – which has often been overlooked by previous national funding programmes – to realise its full potential both now and in the future.

“I would like to thank all of the partners who have worked on the Town Deal over the last year. Staveley is a very special place with a rich history and wonderful assets. Through this funding, we will look to harness the town’s great potential through re-vitalising the high street, delivering new investment and much-needed jobs, supporting local people to reach their full potential and exciting the interest of new visitors to the place.”

Following the announcement of the funding offer, partners in Staveley will be working with Government to agree the terms for the next stage of the Town Deal programme and to determine how each project will be funded.

This will allow the promoters of each project to develop their full business cases, which will be needed before the funding can be released. The Staveley Town Deal Board will be supporting each project through that process so that delivery on the ground can start as soon as practicable.

Elsewhere in North Derbyshire, £24.1 million has been awarded to kickstart a number of regeneration projects in Clay Cross.

North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Councillor Carolyn Renwick said: “What an incredible and proud moment this is for Clay Cross and North East Derbyshire. To be awarded the full sum we asked for – over £24 million pounds will mean Clay Cross will be an exciting hub of redevelopment, opportunity and prosperity for years to come.”

You’ll be able to find out more about all of the projects included as part of the Staveley Town Deal and other regeneration sites across the area at the virtual Celebrate Chesterfield event, taking place on Wednesday, 31st March. To register your place at the virtual event, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/

Find out more about all the regeneration projects taking place across Staveley here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/staveley/

 

Works road and canal basin

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Staveley’s £25m regeneration plans to be put under the spotlight at Celebrate Chesterfield 2021

Forging ahead with regeneration plans in lockdown, the latest developments for the Staveley area will be unveiled at the tenth annual Celebrate Chesterfield event on Wednesday 31 March.

The ambitious £25 million plans for the Staveley area were submitted to the Government as part of its Town Deal programme back in December.

Chair of Staveley Town Deal Board Ivan Fomin, who is also the Managing Director at MSE Hiller and a Destination Chesterfield board member, will be speaking at the virtual event at which he will call on the business community to help drive forward the area’s regeneration and take advantage of the opportunities it will create.

He commented: “Staveley is blessed with great assets including land for development, heritage buildings and transport links, but these all need investment and local leadership to drive forward the growth and prosperity of the area. At a time when Covid-19 has re-energised the discussion about the use of outdoor spaces, we also have a unique opportunity to link Chesterfield and Staveley to the national canal network for the first time in 113 years.”

Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of the Chesterfield Borough Council, will also be speaking at the event, which will be live streamed and boast a 3D virtual exhibition.

Mr Bowen will be updating on the progress the town is making with multi-million pound commercial and residential developments, including Chesterfield Waterside and the new seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place.

Ivan Fomin and Huw Bowen will also be joined by Andy Dabbs (Chair) and Jillian Mitchell (Vice Chair) of the newly formed Property and Construction Group, who will also be speaking at the event.

Now in its tenth year, Celebrate Chesterfield, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, in association with Addooco IT, is one of the most hotly anticipated business events in the area and never more so that in the wake of the pandemic.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “Whilst it has been a challenging year for us all, we’re delighted with the progress Chesterfield has made during the Covid-19 pandemic – there are a lot of achievements to celebrate which we will be sharing at the event. We have not stood still a through 2020 and because of this we go into 2021 in excellent shape.

“The Northern Gateway and Chesterfield Waterside developments have made some significant steps and continue to move forward at pace. This, along with the regeneration plans for the Staveley area, it’s safe to say this is an exciting time for Chesterfield.”

Celebrate Chesterfield 2021 is being sponsored by technology specialist Addooco IT Ltd. University of Derby, Whittam Cox Architects and Markham Vale – Derbyshire’s flagship regeneration scheme, join headline sponsor Addooco IT as associate sponsors.

Richard Walters, Managing Director of Addooco IT Ltd, commented: “The concept of ‘Celebrating Chesterfield’ really resonates with me as there is such a rich history of innovation here. Recognising the great work Destination Chesterfield does for organisations in the area, I am delighted that Addooco is the headline sponsor for Celebrate Chesterfield.”

Dr Paula Holt MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby said: “We are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support the Celebrate Chesterfield event again this year. As Derbyshire’s only university, we look to use our academic expertise, research and innovation to foster talent and create impactful partnerships with business.

“The Celebrate Chesterfield event provides a great opportunity for us to have valuable conversations that enable us to understand more about the challenges local businesses face. Our priority remains to effectively service the needs of businesses – creating opportunities for individuals, employers and communities to develop and deliver positive impact on the economic prosperity, health and well-being of the region.”

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, comments: “As a local practice we are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield event. This year is particularly exciting for us, as it will see the launch of Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Forum. The formation of the forum has already had some success in bringing together a network of local property professionals whilst also providing a collaborative platform for engagement with the Local Authority. Although it has been a challenging year, Chesterfield has made some fantastic progress, and the Celebrate Chesterfield event will provide a great opportunity to share this.”

Anthony Clitheroe, Director at HBD, development partner for the Markham Vale site commented: “Our ongoing commitment to the regeneration of Markham Vale has seen momentous change of this area over the years, increasing job opportunities for local workers and ensuring a continued boost to Chesterfield’s economy.

“Alongside Derbyshire County Council, we’re looking forward to continuing the success of 2020 and securing new occupiers at Markham Vale.”

Tickets for the free morning event, which is being held from 8:30am – 10:00am, are available to book now.

To book your place at the event, please visit http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/.

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More partners announced for The Gateway at PEAK

Mixed-use developer Milligan has appointed further specialist partners to collaborate on the Gateway at PEAK, the UK’s first national park gateway, consented on the eastern boundary of the Peak District in Chesterfield.

Architects Stanton Williams, technology specialists RDS Global, operations consultant DN Consultancy and landscape architects Gillespies, have all been appointed by the Milligan development team.

In July 2020, Milligan formed a unique working group of local stakeholders on the development of Gateway at Peak, part of PEAK Resort.

Since then, the vision for a sustainable hub, welcoming visitors to the Peaks, providing food and accommodation, retail opportunities and environmentally friendly options for onward travel into the park, has been taking shape. The latest partner appointments are an exciting milestone in the progress of the development.

Milligan has a long history of collaboration with Stanton Williams, an award-winning practice well positioned to realise the sustainable and Net Zero Carbon objectives of the Gateway thanks to experience on similar projects and its own Carbon Neutral Zero Plus accreditation.

RDS Global will work alongside the Milligan team to plan and manage the project’s IT platform, deploying its new technology – BlackBox. The RDS BlackBox can consolidate multiple datapoints and communication forms which will power real time, actionable data to enrich customer experience and track energy metrics to support the development’s sustainable goals.

David Norris of DN Consultancy will orchestrate the management and operational strategies and prescribe the environmental, social and governance factors across the Gateway at PEAK.

Also appointed to the team, is award-winning landscape architecture practice, Gillespies who have been leading landscape and public realm design for over 50 years. Utilising strong design principles and an understanding of the natural landscape and environmental context, Gillespies will work with Milligan to deliver transformative planning and design, unlocking the potential of the Gateway at PEAK, to create an inspirational space with a clear-cut purpose, to make people’s lives measurably better.

Melanie Taylor, director of leasing and commerce at Milligan said: “Our work on the Gateway at PEAK has reached a new phase. Landowner Birchall Properties and the regional stakeholders have entrusted us to find and manage specialist partners who are going to bring expertise and value to this unique project. The Gateway is going to be an exciting destination for all types of visitors, each looking for something different from their visit to the Peaks.

“We’re confident that having Stanton Williams, RDS Global, David Norris and Gillespies around the table, we’ll be pushing boundaries and delivering ground-breaking and creative ideas that surprise and delight those visitors. The project will also support the local community through jobs and collaboration and preserve the natural beauty of the park with considerate construction, rewilding and education.”

The Gateway at PEAK is part of the 300-acre PEAK Resort, where the development of an all-weather, all-year, all-ages Summit at PEAK, is already underway, with an opening planned in Autumn 2021. PEAK Resort also has planning permission for up to 2,000 hotel rooms and 250 lodges as well as a whole range of leisure, education and entertainment facilities, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities.

You can find out more about the PEAK development here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/peak-resort/

 

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MyFuture careers platform shortlisted for prestigious industry award

An innovative online careers and employability platform, which was launched to Year 11 and 13 school leavers in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire last year, has been shortlisted in the Careers Development Institute (CDI) Awards 2021.

Since its launch, on GCSE results day, the MyFuture platform has helped hundreds of young people gain access to high-quality careers advice, employment support, and skills and educational programmes during the pandemic.

The online platform has been shortlisted in the Innovative and Impactful Employer Engagement category in the annual industry awards which identify and promote excellence in career development. The category is sponsored by the Department for Education (DfE) and CXK, a careers advice charity.

Developed by Chesterfield Borough Council, in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and the D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub, MyFuture plugs the careers information gap left by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The innovative platform, which is believed to be a world first, was designed by Chesterfield-based Oasis Studio. It features around 100 virtual exhibition pods across 10 zones, providing advice on careers, transition, and employment in 16 sectors.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted that our My Future project has been recognised in this way. Our team have spearheaded this project as part of our Economic Recovery plans, working closely with our partners to help ensure the My Future online platform provides valuable information on careers and skills development for young people in Chesterfield. We will continue to support and develop this platform and I want to encourage young people to log in because it will help them plan their future in our borough.”

Dom Stevens Destination Chesterfield Manager added: “Everyone worked tremendously hard in a very short timeframe to get MyFuture up and running and it has been incredibly well received by all users. To be recognised by the Careers Development Institute is testimony to the strong partnerships that exist in Chesterfield that together make positive changes happen for everyone who lives, works and does business here.”

D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub Lead Dan Heffernan said: “Connecting young people to their future careers becomes an even higher priority during economic crisis as younger workers are at much higher risk of becoming casualties of recession. We are therefore delighted that this project has been recognised by the CDI for the value that it brings to young people across North Derbyshire. It is our hope that any publicity generated by this recognition will encourage further collaborative efforts not just in D2N2 but nationally. Only by working together are we going to weather the economic storm generated by the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

MyFuture is shortlisted alongside Creative Careers Programme and Discover! Creative Careers Week, Creative and Cultural Skills and Whole School Career Day 5th March 2020, Huntcliff School, Gainsborough. The winner of the category will be announced next month on Wednesday 10 March.

MyFuture is one of two North Derbyshire projects to be shortlisted in this year’s Careers Development Institute Awards. Derbyshire Education Business Partnership (DEBP) has also been shortlisted for the Best Practice Award – Careers Programme in a Special School or College category for its Project SEARCH.

To view MyFuture please visit www.myfuture.org.uk

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