Distribution and logistics giant Great Bear are making their mark on the Chesterfield regeneration site as they announce plans to open a second distribution centre creating up to 400 new jobs.

The announcement comes four months after the firm got the keys to their new distribution centre which is set to open next year at Markham Vale located at J29A of the M1.

Building work is set to start on the company’s second 479,285 sq.ft distribution centre in January 2017 and completed in June next year.

Established in 1994, the Chester-based firm operates in 30 locations nationwide providing warehousing and distribution for clients such as PZ Cussons, BMW, Unilever, Mars and Mondelez.

Peter Yarwood, Regional Operations Director at Great Bear Distribution, said:-

“The deal agreed between Henry Boot Developments for a second distribution unit is evidence of the quality of space Markham Vale has to offer.

“Being located on the M1 corridor, the site fits our needs perfectly.

“Henry Boot Developments has already delivered a bespoke facility for us at the site and we are confident the second unit will allow us to further enhance our capacity to service the wider UK more effectively.”

After successfully building Great Bear’s first unit at the site, Heage-based construction firm Bowmer & Kirkland have been appointed by Henry Boot Developments − Derbyshire County Council’s private sector property partner − to build the company’s second premises.

Councillor Anne Western, Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Policy, Economic Development and Budget, said:-

“We’re really pleased Great Bear has chosen to build a second distribution centre at Markham Vale bringing a further 400 jobs.

“It shows great confidence in the site’s location and in Derbyshire as a place where businesses thrive and grow.

“We’re very proud of Markham’s progress to date − it’s now home to 40 businesses and has brought over 900 to jobs to the area so far.”

When Great Bear’s second distribution unit is complete, the firm will occupy just under one million sq.ft of land at Markham Vale making them the largest business on the site to date.

Vivienne Clement, Director at Henry Boot Developments, said:-

“This second investment by Great Bear is a testament to our successful approach to the delivery of high quality, bespoke buildings at Markham Vale.

“The new unit will join the 225,000 sq ft unit currently under construction for Ferdinand Bilstein UK on Markham Vale North, which is due to be completed in January 2017.”

There are proposals for a further development on the northern phase of Markham Vale.   A planning application for the development of a 90,000 sq.ft warehouse has been submitted to Chesterfield Borough Council for consideration.

The development is on target to create up to 4,100 jobs when finished.

This new application follows the latest businesses to join Markham Vale which include Great Bear Distribution and Ferdinand Bilstein UK which are both set to create up to 400 new jobs over the next few years.

The site is now home to 40 local, national and international businesses and has brought over 900 jobs to the area so far.

Existing occupiers include, Meter Provida, inspirepac, Gould Alloys, AW Repair Group, MSE Hiller, Squadron Medical, Industrial Ancillaries, Andrew Page, Holdsworth Foods and Ready Egg Products.

A commitment to bring business, create jobs and boost the local economy has been renewed  as Derbyshire County Council have signed a new four-year partnership with Henry Boot Developments for the continued growth of Markham Vale.

The Sheffield-based firm were appointed in 2003 as private sector property partner to develop the former Markham colliery into a flagship regeneration site. The development is on target to create up to 4,100 jobs when finished.

The latest businesses to join Markham Vale include Great Bear Distribution and Ferdinand Bilstein UK which are both set to create up to 400 new jobs over the next few years.

The site is now home to 40 local, national and international businesses and has brought over 900 jobs to the area so far.

Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Policy, Economic Development and Budget, Councillor Anne Western said:

“Our partnership with Henry Boot Developments has been very successful to date and we’re delighted to sign another four-year agreement with them to take Markham Vale onto its final stages of development.”The site plays a key role in providing jobs for local people, helping businesses to grow and boosting Derbyshire’s economy which are all key priorities of ours.

“Markham’s excellent transport links being located just off junction 29A of the M1 continues to attract businesses and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more companies to the site in the next few months.”

Existing occupiers include, Meter Provida, inspirepac, Gould Alloys, AW Repair Group, MSE Hiller, Squadron Medical, Industrial Ancillaries, Andrew Page, Holdsworth Foods and Ready Egg Products.

Vivienne Clements, Director at Henry Boot Developments commented:

“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Derbyshire County Council for a further four years. Our strong partnership has enabled us to establish Markham Vale as an unrivalled business and logistics hub in the region, and it is a testament to our success to date.”We have achieved a lot this year with the completion of Great Bear Distribution’s unit, the commencement of the Ferdinand Bilstein UK’s facility and we have a number of deals in the pipeline which we will deliver over the next 12 months.”

The University of Derby’s new £6.9 million Campus on Sheffield Road is another mark of the town’s continuing success in economic regeneration, the Duke of Devonshire said at its official opening on Thursday.

The conversion of the former St Helena Girls Grammar School will offer 21^st Century courses in healthcare, engineering, information technology and business to support the town’s growth.  Chesterfield Champions Henry Boot Construction and Frank Shaw Architects worked on the design and construction on the new campus.

The University has long had a presence in Chesterfield, but decided that a dedicated Campus was needed when demand for its highly-acclaimed nursing and public health courses exceeded space in its former base in offices in the Chesterfield Chamber complex.

The sympathetic conversion of the Grade II Listed building on Sheffield Road has retained most of its original features alongside a hi-tech, high spec learning environment for tomorrow’s nurses, engineers and business leaders.

St Helena was ahead of its time even when it was opened in 1911, as architect George Widdows pioneered the use of light and air to create classrooms which put pupils’ needs at its heart. His work was copied all over the world.

Restoring the large number of windows alone cost £1 million, and the Duke reminded guests that one of his family’s famous homes was known as “Hardwick Hall – more glass than wall.”

“I’m not sure that this doesn’t put Hardwick in the shade,” he said. “George Widdows understood the importance of the environment to students, which in 1911 was way ahead of its time.”

The Duke praised Chesterfield Borough Council for embracing the project from the start, adding:-

“The building is something I think Chesterfield, the University and all of Derbyshire should really be proud of. I regard it as another banner of Chesterfield’s success.”

University Vice-Chancellor Professor Kathryn Mitchell said that the University had invested heavily in keeping true to the traditions of the building, but such attention to detail had only been possible with the support of funding partners.

And its opening was the just the beginning of more partnerships in the region in business, engineering and technology as the new campus boasts an Innovation Centre that will allow SMEs to incubate new business ideas, increase their speed of growth and de-risk the process of developing new products.

“We hope to make a big difference to Chesterfield in the future,” she said.

Other facilities at the campus include a mock ward built close to NHS standards with “robot” patients who simulate illness and reactions to drugs, and an immersive suite with giant screens which create the backdrop to situations students will face at work, from the inside of an ambulance to a patient’s home.

Other courses at the Campus – many of which can be studied part-time – include HND Business and Management, BEng (Hons) Professional Engineering and FdSc Information Technology.

The Campus has received investment from partners including £3.48million from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, promoting economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Funding and support from the European Regional Development Fund is contributing to the costs of equipment and support of the Innovation Centre at the Chesterfield Campus, which will support innovation and business growth as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in the D2N2 area.

The original panelling, bannisters and even some of the fireplaces have been saved, and the beautiful parquet floors restored.

The original sash windows were restored but with double-glazing to meet energy efficiency targets at a cost of £1 million pounds.

As the only Higher Education (HE) institution in Derbyshire, the University plans to encourage businesses and the workforce to grow in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire by providing new, local progression pathways to higher level skills provisions.

It will also:

• raise aspirations and ambition amongst young learners by having a University presence in the town;
• encourage more adults to consider self-employment as an alternative to unemployment;
• create a more resilient workforce and assist in retaining more young talent in the Chesterfield area.

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

Business bosses and local authority leaders from Sheffield City Region – SCR – are travelling this week to MIPIM UK, the UK’s largest property event. They will showcase the area and its investment strengths to thousands of influential developers and investors.

Sir Nigel Knowles, Chair of the SCR’s Local Enterprise Board, said:-

“This is a region that knows how to do business, and fast.

“We’ve seen a phenomenal increase in traffic through Doncaster Sheffield Airport thanks to ‘pump priming’ funding put into the M18 link road by the SCR. More than 1,000 jobs have been created by international firms investing across the region in the last year, giving us a huge vote of confidence.

“And we know exactly how we will ensure projects can get up and running without delay as we’ve mapped it all in our ‘Integrated Infrastructure Plan’. We’ll be launching the plan at MIPIM.

“Doing business in the Sheffield City Region is very easy thanks to our dynamic private and public sector partnership. We also offer a bedrock of stability thanks to the £1.3billion devolution deal we negotiated. This guarantees investment for the next 30 years, and means decisions for the Sheffield City Region are made here and not in Westminster.

“We have significant assets ready for investment, a straightforward approach to planning and infrastructure, and committed support for skills, training and business growth. Our Integrated Infrastructure Plan sets ambitious targets on job creation and attracting businesses to the region. We remain firmly committed to this and that is why our offer to investors is so strong.”

Key opportunities which will be showcased this week include:

• Peak Resort Development –  Peak is a £400 million leisure, health, sport and education resort on the edge of the glorious Peak District National Park and is set to become one of the UK’s flagship tourist attractions.
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport – has passenger flights to over 30 destinations worldwide including direct flights to Paris and Berlin, a catchment of almost 5million people, and a strong freight offering. Design and build options are on offer for both hangars and industrial units and there is already planning consent for over 2,000,000 sq ft of commercial development

Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Chair of Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, said:-

“Doncaster Sheffield Airport is helping us build a truly competitive centre of excellence in Sheffield City Region. It is a key part of our strategic plan to grow the economy and create more and better jobs for local people.

“Businesses and residents across Sheffield City Region are proud of our fast-growing airport and are embracing the opportunity to get to their destinations more conveniently and more quickly than ever before thanks to the new link road. As our airport continues to grow, more people are travelling to more destinations and are spreading the word about our super-connected region. This makes Sheffield City Region an even greater place for living.”

The Sheffield City Region delegation will be hosting a programme of events to discuss investment opportunities and the support the Region offers in detail.

Global craft brand, Crafter’s Companion, welcomed thousands of visitors to the launch of its second UK store over its opening weekend.

Visitors from all over the country attended the launch of the store, at Dobbies Garden Centre and Shopping Village in Chesterfield.

The store was officially opened by the company’s founder and craft TV shopping star Sara Davies MBE on Friday. The new Crafter’s Companion outlet has been designed to attract more people into craft and provide a community hub where customers can explore the latest tools and products.

Throughout the weekend, visitors were able to enjoy a number of demonstrations led by several craft celebrities. These included TV shopping stars Debbie Shore and Sheena Douglass, who travelled to the region to run sessions and celebrate the launch.

Sara Davies MBE, Founder of Crafter’s Companion, said:-

“Opening a store in Chesterfield was a big step for us so soon after we launched our first store in the North East, so it’s great to see the launch weekend go so incredibly well.

“Dobbies Garden Centre and Shopping Village has such a great reputation and the feedback we have received so far from everyone visiting our new store has been brilliant. We can’t thank all of our customers enough for their continued support.

“We’ve put so much hard work into making the store a success, so it’s been great to see people from the local community and beyond the region enjoying themselves and really getting involved with the activities.”

The new store, which is the result of a £250k investment by the multi award-winning Crafter’s Companion, includes a central hub for workshops and group sessions, dedicated demonstration areas and themed shopping sections.

The store will be open to the public Monday – Saturday from 9am-6pm and on Sunday from 10.30am-4.30pm.

There will also be regular workshops available for booking.

The outlet joins several other brands at Dobbies Garden Centre in Chesterfield, such as Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Holland and Barrett, Lakeland, Pets at Home and Cotton Traders. The extensive garden centre also houses a farm shop, food hall and a restaurant.