Avant Homes is set to build 173 new homes at a new £36m development in Chesterfield after planning permission was approved by Chesterfield Borough Council.

Located  just off the A61 on Brimington Road, the 12-acre former timber yard site will form a key part of the residential area at Chesterfield Waterside – a £340 million regeneration scheme located close to   Chesterfield town centre.

Named Waterside Quarter, the development will form part of ‘The Park’ area of the scheme and will be Avant Homes largest site in the Chesterfield area to date.  Waterside Quarter will include a mixture of Avant Homes’ contemporary, two, three and four-bedroom homes, designed for modern living, offering buyers 11 different house types to choose from. Groundworks are due to commence in July and the first homes will be ready for occupation in June 2020.

Avant Homes Central managing director, Stuart Rowlands, said: “The Chesterfield Waterside scheme is a hugely important regeneration project for the town, and we are thrilled to be a key part of it.  Our design-led collection of homes will give customers more choice, more flexibility and the opportunity to live in an aspirational home at an attainable price.

“We are very pleased to have planning granted and now look forward to works commencing in the coming weeks and delivering what will be a highly desirable place to live for buyers in Chesterfield.”

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

Peter Swallow, managing director of the Bolsterstone Group Plc, said: “The granting of planning permission for Avant Homes’ construction of 173 new homes at Chesterfield Waterside is a significant step forward for the scheme in 2019.  Avant’s stylish and contemporary homes will now bring forward an exciting new phase in Waterside, one that I know is very much anticipated in Chesterfield and will go towards meeting the demand for additional high-quality housing in the local market.”

For more information about Waterside Quarter, visit To register your interest please contact 01246889785 or visit www.avanthomes.co.uk/waterside-quarter/

Find out more about the £1 billion of  developments taking place in Chesterfield

A record number of 2,236 people are currently employed at Markham Vale, an increase of almost 600 new jobs over the past twelve months.   The figures are the result of Derbyshire County Council’s Markham Vale Annual Jobs survey.

The 2,236 employees at Markham Vale is now more than the 2,000 people that were employed at the former colliery site in its 1980’s hey day.

There are over 50 companies based at Markham Vale across a range of industry sectors and of varying sizes, with a number of start-up companies employing two or three people and then there are the large multi-nationals employing two to three hundred.

Markham Vale is a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 in Derbyshire, a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Derbyshire County Council.

One of the region’s most successful industrial locations, Markham Vale is home to the likes of Great Bear, Gist, Ferdinand Bilstein and Sterigenics.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said: “We look forward to welcoming even more businesses at the site very soon and for those looking to relocate or expand, we still have opportunities available so please get in touch for more information.”

Find out more about relocating to Markham Vale and investing in Chesterfield.

Businesspeople are needed to join new Advisory Boards at the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, steering the future of an area with an economic output worth more than £45billion.

D2N2 is the private sector-led Local Enterprise Partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary organisations; which promotes economic growth in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. It is England’s fifth largest LEP (of 37), covers an area with a population of over two million and has an economic output of around £45billion GVA (Gross Value Added).

The LEP manages over £500million in resources (via funding from the UK Government and European Union) to invest in its business growth, capital projects, infrastructure, employment promotion, social and community projects, and other services.

Twelve additional private sector board members are now being sought to join four new Advisory Boards for the D2N2 LEP; to better push forward on objectives to boost its area’s economic growth, as set out in its Vision 2030 Strategic Economic Plan.

The Advisory Boards, which will use their expertise and experience to advise the main D2N2 LEP Board, are:

• Place Board (2 private sector board members needed) – The Place Board will advise the main D2N2 Board on ways to continually improve the quality of places people live and work in, and visit, across the D2N2 LEP area. This will include advice and proposals around vital infrastructure and connectivity (both transport and digital broadband), and the marketing and promotion of individual places; with reference to the ideas, implementation and investment proposals set out under the ‘Place’ key priority in the Vision 2030 Strategic Economic Plan.
• People and Skills Board (2 positions available) – This Board will develop, put into practice and oversee delivery of the ‘People and Skills’ element of the Strategic Economic Plan; and be the Skills Advisory Panel for the D2N2 LEP. Board members will also lead on developing the ‘People’ element in D2N2’s upcoming Local Industrial Strategy, to be published early next year (2020).
• Business Growth Board (4 positions available) – Its members will contribute to the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan ambition that, by 2030, the LEP’s area will have a world-class innovation-led, highly productive economy, with a global reputation for manufacturing excellence. The Business Growth Board will focus on making sure D2N2 LEP area businesses are backed in maximising their growth potential and productivity, by coordinating help available in the area and structuring how future support should work. Board members will oversee delivery of the D2N2 Growth Hub’s targets. The Growth Hub is part of the LEP and helps small and medium-sized enterprises via a wide range of free programmes.
• Innovation Board (4 positions available) – The Innovation Board develops a strategic and coordinated approach to innovation activities, to drive forward the D2N2 LEP area’s economic growth ambitions detailed in its Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) and Science & Innovation Audit report. The Innovation Board will work with universities, policy-makers, delivery partners and businesses to improve the area’s productivity; as set out in the SEP’s ‘Innovation’ priority section.

D2N2 needs 12 new private sector board members to join these Advisory Boards, particularly those with expertise in the work of the Boards, to contribute towards the development of their policies and priorities.

Applicants should have significant experience of working within a successful business based within the D2N2 LEP area, so as to demonstrate credibility and achievement as a driver of private sector growth; be an excellent communicator; demonstrate real leadership; have a good knowledge of the D2N2 LEP area and its needs; and possess extensive business networks and contacts. They must also be available to serve on the D2N2 LEP Advisory Boards for up to three years; and to attend regular meetings and events; with one to two days per month needed for the role (expenses only are available for the roles).

The closing date for Advisory Board member applications is 12noon, Friday 14 June. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to meet the Chair of the Advisory Board they’ve applied to. An announcement will be made in July on successful applicants.

Elizabeth Fagan (below), Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Our area’s economy faces great opportunities but also great challenges, in 2019 and beyond.”

“We want 12 private sector applicants for our four new Advisory Boards; to provide them with expertise, new ideas and to best reflect the communities we serve across the LEP area.”

Applicant packs, including a job description and required attributes, can be requested from the D2N2 LEP or downloaded from the D2N2 LEP website.

Applications should quote the reference ‘D2N2 Advisory Board Application’ and include a letter outlining how applicants’ experience and networks would benefit the LEP, paying particular attention to the ‘Experience and Attributes’ criteria outlined.

Please specify which particular board you are interested in and why. All applications will be acknowledged. Please submit your application to: sandra.casey@d2n2lep.org.

For initial enquiries, in confidence, please contact D2N2 LEP Chief Executive Officer Sajeeda Rose on 07879 350140 or email: sajeeda.rose@d2n2lep.org