Development

Chesterfield on track to create world class visitor economy

20th September 2018

It has been revealed that converting just 5% of Chesterfield’s day visitors into overnight stays would transform the town’s visitor economy.

Speaking at the annual Chesterfield Investment Summit, keynote speaker James Berresford, Chair of the Derbyshire Culture, Heritage, Arts and Tourism Board, added: “Chesterfield has its foot on the ladder of being world class and is on track to transform its visitor economy. It must focus on creating the distinctive, unique and special.”

At the sell-out event, which was held at Casa Hotel, it was revealed that last year Chesterfield attracted 3.7 million visitors who brought £175 million to the economy, representing a 50% uplift in tourism spend compared to 2009. (Read more about the growth in tourism in Chesterfield)

Mr Berresford praised the town’s ambitions saying: “Tourists today want experiences. We need to focus on the unique and distinctive things we have like the market and the Crooked Spire to stand out from the crowd. They are a wonderful local experience reflecting the character of the town.”

Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council, added: “It is very much a time of growth for the town and borough. However, as a council we remain committed to the premise that the growth we generate must be inclusive and that local people must benefit in terms of jobs and business opportunities.”

As part of Chesterfield’s drive to increase the visitor economy, more than 2,500 beds will be added to the Borough’s accommodation offering over the next 36 months. The 92-bed Premier Inn Hotel on Elder Way will open in January 2019 and further beds will be delivered at Chesterfield Waterside and Peak Resort.

Construction of a ‘core four’ phase one of Peak Resort will begin next year on the Birchall Estate. Phase One is scheduled to open at the end of 2020. Phase One will be centered around the Gateway Complex which will provide serviced connectivity and equipment for tourists to engage in all sorts of activities in the surrounding communities and National Park.

The Birchall Estate has planning approvals for up to 2000 hotel rooms and 250 chalets. The hotels will be delivered in phases and in a range of formats from 5 star to hostel accommodation. The aim is to deliver the quality and scope of accommodation and hospitality similar to that of a ski resort, sitting at the heart of the country alongside the Peak District National Park.

Delegates heard that climate change, travel security, changing habits and Brexit have all been key factors in the realisation of Peak Resort. Combined, they are driving more people to holiday in the UK.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield, added: “Young people need to raise their aspirations and skill up ahead of HS2 arriving in Chesterfield and the opening of Peak Resort to ensure that they and the town makes the most of the opportunities that these schemes will bring.”

Organised by Destination Chesterfield, Derbyshire Economic Partnership and Marketing Derby and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the annual Investment Summit was held at Casa Hotel.

More than 200 people attended to learn more on the latest investment opportunities in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire. In addition to James Berresford, Rupert Carr and Huw Bowen, delegates also heard from Adam Hearld of Jomast Developments, which is transforming the former Co-op building and Frank Horsley, Head of Economic Regeneration at Derbyshire County Council.

Find out more about developments in Chesterfield.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development

Record visitor numbers boost Chesterfield economy

19th September 2018

New figures showing a record number of visitors to Chesterfield are providing a £175 million boost to the borough’s economy were announced this morning at the Chesterfield Investment Summit.

The industry figures show that in 2017, Chesterfield received 3.7 million visitors, an increase of 5.1 per cent on 2016. This compares with an average 1.3 per cent increase across the rest of Derbyshire.

The year also saw tourism contribute £175.21 million to the Chesterfield economy, a 6.9 per cent increase on 2016.

As a result, the visitor economy sector also supported 2,165 full-time equivalent jobs in Chesterfield, an increase of 4.8 per cent on 2016. This compares with a 2.5 per cent increase across Derbyshire.

Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council said: “With the Peak District National Park on our doorstep, Chesterfield has long been a convenient place to visit but the fact we see so many people returning to visit us, shows we have a lot to offer in our own right.

“With attractions such as the world-famous Crooked Spire, the traditional open-air market, two theatres offering major shows and plays, Chesterfield Museum, Revolution House and Barrow Hill Roundhouse, it’s no wonder people choose to visit Chesterfield.

“This is great news for our local economy and we will continue to organise regular events to encourage people to visit the borough and, while they are here, take advantage of the many shops, cafés, restaurants and bars we have on offer here.

“I think it is easy to take what you have on your doorstep for granted but when I talk to visitors they are always very complimentary about Chesterfield and what it has to offer. These latest figures back that up and show how important tourism is to our economy.”

Chesterfield Borough Council organises regular events to attract visitors to the borough, such as the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket which brings in cricket fans from across the country. The next event is the 1940s market which takes place in the traditional open-air market place on Thursday 1 November.

Find out more about visiting Chesterfield and events

Crooked Spire in Spring

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Award winning eatery opens new café at Chesterfield College

12th September 2018

One of Chesterfield’s award-winning eateries, The Lilypad, opened a new branch at Chesterfield College last week in time for the start of the new term.

The café, Lilypad at the Arches, is run by the same team who operate The Lilypad in Chesterfield town centre and is part of the new facilities now on offer at the college’s University-Centre at the Infirmary Road campus. Students studying on a range of courses from professional qualifications to Access to Higher Education and Full Honours Degrees will be able to take advantage of the new service when they return to college.

Open from 8am until 3.30pm and offering a selection of breakfast choices, salads, sandwiches, cakes and drinks in a relaxed space, Lilypad at the Arches is a great addition to the food and drink choices available across the college.

The Lilypad Café and Restaurant were winners of The Best Newcomer of the Year in 2016 and The Café and Tea Room of the Year in 2017 at the annual Chesterfield Food & Drink Awards.

Emily Chapman, Manager of the The Lilypad Café and Restaurant said;

“It is really exciting that we are able to expand into the college. Although the menu here is slightly different to what we offer in the town centre, it is developed with the same quality and approach. We have designed the menu and the space we serve the food from to provide staff and students with a chance to recharge their batteries and fuel their brains in between lectures.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Henry Boot Developments to build speculative unit at Markham Vale

6th September 2018

Henry Boot Developments (HBD) has submitted a reserved matters planning application for a speculative 55,000 sq ft industrial unit, ‘MV55’, at Derbyshire County Council’s flagship Markham Vale scheme.

Markham Vale is a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 in Derbyshire, a joint venture between HBD and Derbyshire County Council. It offers a unique opportunity for businesses seeking direct motorway access coupled with high-quality, purpose-built premises.

HBD hopes to start the 55,000 sq ft unit in early 2019, working towards practical completion in summer 2019. The unit, which fronts the M1, will include flexible office space ranging from 2,500 sq ft – 5,000 sq ft alongside high-quality industrial facilities with four level access doors and two dock levellers and 50 parking spaces provided on site.

Markham Vale is one of the region’s successful industrial schemes, home to the likes of Great Bear, Gist, Ferdinand Bilstein and Sterigenics. The new unit, positioned on Markham Vale West, will sit between Meter Provida and Grangers International, which is currently under construction and due to complete in November 2018.

Andrew Priestley, Development Surveyor at HBD, said: “Markham Vale is a hugely successful scheme, offering the highest quality industrial premises coupled with direct access to the UK motorway network. This is a sizeable speculative unit which will comprise the facilities and features that we know occupiers value the most and which have the greatest impact on operations, maximising efficiency and their potential for growth.

“Our occupiers at Markham Vale are varied but share a common objective in that they’re striving for growth – we focus on providing the space for them to do just that, continuing to create new jobs and progressing the kind of innovation that puts the region on the map.”

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration Councillor Tony King said: “Driving economic growth and creating more job opportunities are key priorities of ours and we’re really pleased Markham continues to play a vital role in bringing investment to the area.

“The site is now home to a range of businesses and we look forward to welcoming even more through this latest development in the near future.”

Markham Vale has 39 acres of land remaining, able to accommodate a range of units from 15,000 sq ft to 300,000 sq ft.

Find out more about Markham Vale

Find out about major development sites in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Local songstress wows visitors at new show homes opening

5th September 2018

Skylarks, one of Chesterfield’s most eagerly awaited new homes developments, got off to a flying start enhanced by local singer/songwriter Emily Harris who serenaded visitors to the two beautiful new show homes opened to the public by William Davis Homes recently.

19 year old Emily performed classics, modern standards and covers by some of her favourite artists including Ed Shearan and Bon Iver, giving the launch a wonderful summer feel. Emily whose entire family are musicians, has been singing professionally for 18 months and will now spend the rest of the summer putting the finishing touches to her new EP, which she’s working on with the Launch Pad programme in Sheffield.

Stephen Rush, Sales Director at William Davis Homes commented: “We were delighted to feature Emily and her music over the launch weekend here at Skylarks, helping to celebrate William Davis Homes return to Chesterfield after five years. Skylarks’ occupies a prime position on the edge of the town, benefitting from local shops, schools and amenities, yet it’s easily commutable to neighbouring Sheffield and really is becoming known as the best address for living in Chesterfield.”

With 16 new homes already sold at Skylarks it’s becoming a popular new housing developments within Chesterfield and will feature a range of two to five bedroom homes in 15 different designs and layouts in a carefully planned and landscaped environment. Ideal for those looking for their first home, somewhere with room to grow or just that little bit easier to manage, homes at Skylarks are all traditionally built with the highest quality finishes including well known-brands such as Smeg, Hive, Porcelanosa and Roca.

For more information click here.

Steve Hodgkin / Credit – Chadwicks

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development

Expansion and relocation for Chesterfield beauty salon

4th September 2018

A popular beauty salon has relocated from Sheffield to Chesterfield and taken on new premises on Chatsworth Road in order to meet increased demand from customers in the area.

Originally established in Sheffield in 2015 by passionate beautician Rebecca Hales, Blush Nails and Beauty is a full-service salon offering beauty treatments including, nails, tanning, massages and facials.

To date, the entrepreneur has worked alone but, just three years after opening, demand for appointments from customers in both South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire has prompted the move to a new salon that can accommodate her growing team – which now consists of four beauty therapists and nail technicians.

The premises, which is situated next to Bridal Boutique, the Little White Dress and hair salon Elysium, consists of three fully equipped treatment rooms and a nail bar.

Rebecca was advised on the lease of the premises by Chesterfield-based commercial property expert Ian Osborn of Banner Jones Solicitors, who are Chesterfield Champions.

Rebecca commented: “I am delighted to have secured the premises in Chesterfield and have already noticed an increase in clients since opening here.

“From launching on my own three years ago to now being a core team of four I’m proud of how far the business has come and am now looking ahead to the future where I hope to expand the team further in line with client demand.

“I’d like to extend my thanks to Ian Osborn and the Banner Jones team for their support and advice throughout the whole process.”

Supporting Rebecca with the lease of the property, Ian – a commercial property specialist at Banner Jones – commented: “Chesterfield’s Chatsworth Road is thriving, and Blush Nails and Beauty is the latest in a raft of new additions to its retail and hospitality offering.

“We’re delighted to have been able to support Rebecca in securing her new premises, and we look forward to seeing her move forward with her ambitious expansion plans.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Chesterfield residents invited to name new Mccarthy and Stone development

30th August 2018

The UK’s leading retirement housebuilder, McCarthy and Stone, has announced construction will soon get under way at its site in Saltergate, Chesterfield, which is set to be transformed into a collection of one and two bedroom Retirement Living Plus apartments, designed for people aged 70 and over.

Ahead of the build programme commencing, McCarthy and Stone is appealing to local people to enter a competition to name the scheme. The winning entrant of the ‘What’s in a Name’ competition will be granted the opportunity to attend the official opening of the development, as well as receiving a cheque for £200.

Fiona Brooks, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for McCarthy and Stone North West, said: “We are inviting people from the local area to suggest an appropriate name for our new Chesterfield development. We are looking for a name which will be relevant to the local community; and it can be anything from suggestions honouring local landmarks or scenery, to names that incorporate elements of the town’s rich history. Simply submit your ideas by Monday 3^rd September to be considered for the prize, and to put your stamp on a little bit of future history in the town.”

To be in with a chance of naming McCarthy and Stone’s new development and to win £200, all you have to do is email mccarthyandstone@mccann.com with your suggested development name and the reason behind it. Please include ‘Chesterfield’ in the subject header and also include your name and contact details in the email. The competition is open to people of all ages from the local and surrounding areas and the deadline for entries is Monday 3^rd September.

The Chesterfield development will consist of 65 one and two bedroom apartments, along with a stunning homeowners’ lounge, ideal for socialising with friends; beautifully landscaped gardens in which to relax; and a convenient guest suite should homeowners have friends or relatives to stay. The development will also benefit from its very own Estates Management team on-site 24 hours a day; while a security entrance system and emergency call points will provide added peace-of-mind for homeowners and their families.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Approval for sports pitch on former sports centre site

29th August 2018

Councillors have approved plans for an artificial turf sports pitch on the site of the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre in Chesterfield.

Members of Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plans for the site of the former sports centre on Boythorpe Road at their meeting yesterday, Tuesday 28 August.

This will see a 61m x 43m sports pitch built on the site suitable for seven-a-side football games built to Football Association requirements. The pitch could also be split to be used for two five-a-side games.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Queen’s Park is a key park in Chesterfield and the new sports pitch will meet a need identified by Sport England to increase the number of pitches available in the borough.

“Chesterfield has some of the worst health inequalities and providing extra opportunities for people to exercise, get fit and enjoy themselves is a priority for us.”

The pitch would be sited to minimise the visual impact from within Queen’s Park and nearby properties. The floodlights will be designed to reduce light emissions, with the fencing and lighting columns in dark colours to blend in with the park environment.

The remaining area would be landscaped with trees, shrubs, bedding plants and grass so it is closer to the original park design by William Barron that was in place before the old Queen’s Park Sports Centre was built in 1968.

Councillor Ludlow added: “With the heritage nature of the grade II* listed park, it is important that any development fits in with its surroundings, which is why time and effort has been put into making sure that the plans are sympathetic to the nature of the park and the original landscaping restored.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Leisure

International company gets keys to new base at Markham Vale

9th August 2018

International sterilisation specialist Sterigenics has moved into its new state-of-the-art facility at Markham Vale and is creating up to 30 new jobs.

The firm’s bespoke sterilisation facility at Derbyshire County Council and Henry Boot Development’s flagship regeneration site located just off junction 29A of the M1 is set to officially open in December 2018.

The company specialises in sterilising medical equipment and has facilities in 13 countries including America and China. The new site will be in addition to its existing base at Somercotes in Derbyshire.

Adrian Wye, Director of Operations of Sterigenics, said: “Our Markham Vale North facility is strategically located to serve the needs of our European customers. Its prime location at the heart of the UK’s motorway network will provide an optimum location for their supply chain logistics. And our facility’s high-tech capabilities will deliver the turnaround times necessary to distribute their products to market quickly.”

Sterigenics will be the fourth business to join Gist, Ferdinand Bilstein UK and Great Bear Distribution on Markham Vale North.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration Councillor Tony King said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sterigenics to our Markham Vale site and news they’re set to create up to 30 jobs is fantastic.

“The firm’s investment in Derbyshire shows how confident they are in the county as a place to grow their business and thrive.

“Markham’s excellent location next to the M1 motorway is set to help the business reach even more customers and we’re looking forward to following the progress of their new state-of-the-art facility.”

The company’s new 69,000 sq ft base has been built by Henry Boot Developments – the county council’s private sector property partner.

Posted in Business, Development

Latest Chesterfield housing development opens showhomes

2nd August 2018

A new housing developments in Derbyshire is set to launch this weekend ─ Saturday 11^th August from 11am ─ as triple HBF 5 star housebuilder, William Davis Homes puts the finishing touches to two fabulous showhomes ahead of the event.

The fabulous Skylarks development, on the northern edge of Chesterfield, will feature two beautiful four bedroom showhomes ─ the Severn and the Lydden ─ each distinctly designed to offer the very best in modern family living and both providing the focal point of the large visitor complex; featuring a dedicated options suite, delightful garden meeting areas and a sales centre.

William Davis is returning to Chesterfield for the first time in more than five years. Skylarks will feature a range of two to five bedroom homes in 15 different designs and layouts in a carefully planned and landscaped environment.

Stephen Rush, sales director at William Davis Homes commented: “We’re excited to be making our return to Chesterfield after five years. Skylarks’ occupies prime position on the edge of the town, benefitting from local shops, schools and amenities, yet it’s easily commutable to neighbouring Sheffield.”

You can find out more about the development at www.williamdavis.co.uk/developments/skylarks.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development

Improvements to Chesterfield’s A61 Whittington Moor Roundabout

1st August 2018

Local residents are being invited to have their say on plans to improve a major roundabout in Chesterfield.

During August local people will be able to find out more at exhibitions which will show the proposals to improve journey times and reduce accidents on the A61 Whittington Moor roundabout.

The events are being held at Whittington Moor Methodist Church Hall, Scarsdale Road Chesterfield on:

Saturday 4 August – 10am to 2pm
Monday 13 August – 4pm to 7pm
Monday 20 August – 5pm to 8pm
Thursday 23 August – 12pm to 3pm

The proposals are to install traffic lights on all six junctions of the roundabout and close off the entrance to the roundabout from Dunston Road to all traffic apart from buses. Traffic will still be able to leave the roundabout onto Dunston Road.

Traffic lights will also be put at both ends of Sheepbridge Lane.

Councillor Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said: “There are long delays at peak times at the Whittington Moor roundabout and with more developments planned for the local area journey times are only going to get longer.

“The roundabout also has a high rate of accidents and we need to do all we can to reduce this.

“Doing nothing is not an option so we’ve developed some proposals for significant work which will improve journey times along the A61 and cut the number of crashes.”

Councillor Spencer added: “We do recognise that those who get onto the roundabout from Dunston Road will have slightly increased journey times but we feel there is really no other option to improve Whittington Moor roundabout. The scheme has been agreed in principle but we’d still like local people to let us have their views of our proposals.”

The work is expected to cost around £5m and is being funded from the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership (D2N2 LEP). This is a partnership organisation of local councils, businesses and other organisations, which takes the lead on major infrastructure projects.

A feedback form for comments will be available online from Saturday 4th August from at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/whitmoor

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Why is Derbyshire County Council improving the roundabout?

A. The A61 is a main road between Chesterfield and Sheffield and the most important junction in the north of Chesterfield. It is very busy and will become even busier in the next few years due to planned development nearby. This will increase traffic further onto this roundabout.

The number of minor collisions at this roundabout is relatively high – 35 injury accidents in the last five years. These are because of speeding vehicles and the short gaps between traffic wanting to get on to the roundabout.

Congestion in and around the roundabout is also high, causing significant delays. Queues can tail back over half a mile on the A61 meaning the road becomes unreliable with standing traffic; in turn this is causing accidents.

The roundabout is used by many different road users including businesses, schools, residents and commuters. The safety and reliability of journey times for all road users is a top priority for this council.

Q. Why is the speed of the traffic on the roundabout too high?

A. The roundabout is very large giving time for vehicles to accelerate and build up their speed before turning off.

Q. Why is there so much congestion?

A. Because traffic on the roundabout at peak times is fast and heavy there are only small gaps in the traffic for drivers to get onto it. This means vehicles have to wait, causing queues, especially during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours.

Q. Why are you proposing to put traffic lights on the roundabout?

A. The aim is to create bigger gaps in the traffic to reduce queuing and allow people to join and leave the roundabout more safely. We think the best way to do this is with traffic lights. It is proposed that priority be given to traffic travelling to and from Sheffield as this is the route with most traffic.

Q. Why is the proposal to close Dunston Road?

A. Because the proposal is for six sets of traffic lights, one set for each junction, and the roundabout is large it still wouldn’t leave much room for traffic to wait at the lights. To keep the traffic moving more freely the plan is to restrict traffic on one of the minor roads to reduce the number of vehicles wanting to get onto the roundabout. Dunston Road has been selected because it will have the largest impact on clearing traffic. This is because a large amount of traffic from the A61 and Sheffield Road passes by Dunston Road to get on to the A61 north towards Sheffield.

Q. How do you know traffic lights will solve the problems?

A. We have used professional design consultants who specialise in developing road schemes using traffic modelling techniques. These consider the existing layout and potential options, in this case, to reduce the number of accidents and congestion. Of the solutions that were considered, the proposal for traffic lights, was the one thought most likely to work.

Q. Is there no other option than to close Dunston Road?

A. We did look at other options including opening up other roads, only closing Dunston Road at peak times or tolerating long queues. Our modelling suggests that restricting traffic along Dunston Road, except for buses, will mean traffic will still be able to use Scarsdale Road to get to the doctors, school, church and businesses.

Q. Where do I go if Dunston Road is closed?

A. If you want to go north you can use the A61 junction at Sheepbridge. Our proposal is to put traffic lights at both ends of Sheepbridge Lane to improve traffic flows along here and Dunston Road. Southbound traffic will be able to use local roads with Racecourse Road and Stand Road linking to Sheffield Road.

Q. How much will this work cost and who is paying?

A. These improvements are expected to cost around £5m and be funded through the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership (D2N2 LEP). This is a partnership organisation of local councils, including Derbyshire County Council, with the bulk of the cost coming from businesses and other organisations that take the lead on major infrastructure projects.

Q. When will these roundabout improvement works start?

A. Work is likely to start in spring 2019 and be complete by the end of autumn 2019 during the better weather and before the busy Christmas period. Where possible work will take place overnight and at weekends to minimise disruption, noise and dust during normal working hours.

Chesterfield at night

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development