Development

Road Opens New Business Opportunities at Markham Vale

Work to bring more businesses and jobs to Markham Vale will reach another milestone with the re-opening of Erin Road on Monday 16 March.

The road closed to motorists in August last year as part of plans to turn an area of land – where the former Seymour Colliery once stood – into commercial space for businesses, with the potential to bring an additional 2,000 jobs to Derbyshire.

Closure allowed for the removal of the ‘Bailey’ bridge over Erin Road, and for groundwork to begin for gas, water and electricity supplies.

Erin Road will now serve the next section of land to be developed at Markham Vale North and Derbyshire County Council has already received a number of enquiries from businesses looking to relocate to the new site.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure Councillor Dean Collins said:

“We would like to thank everyone for their continued patience and support while this important work took place.

“This is an exciting development for Markham Vale which takes us a step closer to achieving our long-term vision of creating 5,000 jobs for local people within the area as well as boosting the local economy.”

A total of £1.2m has been invested in the road refurbishment which has been funded as part of a £14.2m cash injection from the government.

Construction work will continue to join Erin Road to the Markham Vale North site and temporary traffic lights will be in operation during this time.

Posted in Business, Development

Former Chesterfield Court building receives planning consent

The former Magistrates’ Court in Chesterfield has been given planning consent for office, retail and leisure use.

The Grade II listed Knightsbridge Court, is centrally situated in the town on landscaped grounds and comprises space in excess of 24,000 sq ft spanning over three floors –with suites available to let from 1,000sq ft upwards.

The building will offer businesses a distinctive space, appropriate for a range of uses such as dining, leisure, retail, education or offices.

Stuart Waite, associate director at Innes England’s Derby office, is handling the lettings on behalf of a private client. He said: “Since we were appointed on Knightsbridge Court, we have been in serious discussions with a number of occupiers regarding this building for a variety of uses.

“Occupier confidence is growing and with the economic forecast for 2015 looking positive – we are confident that the timing of this re-launch, along with the successful approval of planning for alternative uses, will see early interest converted into deals.

“We are working closely with Chesterfield Borough Council on this project, who have identified the Rose Hill and West Bars area of Chesterfield as a key strategic location for growth in its masterplan for the town.”

The property also benefits from 70+ parking spaces within its grounds.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Work starts on new Chesterfield College building

Work has begun at Chesterfield College to create a new home for students studying plumbing, joinery and other building services courses.

The new structure, which is taking shape next to the A61 opposite the college’s existing campus on Infirmary Road, has been part funded by the Skills Funding Agency. Completion is expected by September 2015.

Principal at Chesterfield College, Stuart Cutforth explains, “This will be a fantastic new facility for our students studying a range of building services. We aim to bring the very best learning environment to every single one of our students, vitally this new building will have the latest facilities that prepare them for working out in today’s construction industry.”

The college is also updating parts of its tower building, a familiar sight on Chesterfield’s skyline. First of all the neon ‘Chesterfield College’ signage is being updated to an LED lighting system which is substantially more cost effective to run.

The oldest parts of the tower are also being updated with new double glazing and cladding that will not only update the look of the building but also improve its thermal efficiency, saving a considerable amount in heating costs.

Posted in Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development

Chesterfield College Launches New Creative Hub

West Studios has opened its doors to showcase the new facilities it has available for creative businesses in Chesterfield.

The former boy’s grammar school on Sheffield Road has been completely renovated thanks to a grant from the European Regional Development Fund.

Part of Chesterfield College, the centre now offers workshop and office space, as well as access to business support that can help turn creative skills into successful enterprises.

Guests enjoyed an exhibition and auction at the event on Thursday 22nd January which featured a diverse range of work from current tenants – from silversmithing to sculpture, knitwear design to performing arts and much more.

Sharlaine Fincham, Manager of West Studios said:-

“It is wonderful to be able play a role in nurturing local creative talent in a way that will give creative industries in our region a real competitive edge.

“It’s evident that a facility like West Studios is needed as we are already working with so many fantastic businesses. We are helping our tenants with things like market research, using social media and other general business support that can really make a difference.”

Photographs from the launch event are on the Chesterfield Facebook page here.

Posted in Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development

Successful year for Markham Vale

Developers are celebrating following an unprecedented year of activity at one of Chesterfield’s most prominent development sites.

Henry Boot Developments appointed six different contractors to build at the Markham Vale business park in 2014 as well as announcing speculative building proposals and five major deals.

The site has now commissioned a total of £30 million in construction projects on the 200 acre business park.

Edward Hutchinson from Henry Boot Developments said:-

“Markham Vale is an attractive location for a variety of occupiers which includes specialist distributors and manufacturers and supporting retail and offices requirements.

“The design and specification requirements for each plot vary greatly and it has proved successful for us to appoint contractors able to deliver the most competitive solution for specific occupier requirements.

In the last year Henry Boot has secured deals with Ready Egg Products for a new 34,700 sq. ft food processing plant, Holdsworth Foods 17,900 sq. ft cold store and Euro Garages complete with Shell petrol station with HGV facilities, a SPAR convenience store, Subway, Greggs and a Starbucks drive-through. It also completed work on site to deliver a new Marstons public house. In the autumn it secured Gould Alloys for a 50,000 sq. ft design and build requirement and agreed terms with inspirepac to build a significant new 100,250 sq ft  production facility

Further deals are in negotiations which could see the East site at full occupation and allow Henry Boot Developments to bring forward plans for development of 80 acres on Markham Vale North.

Source:Henry Boot Developments via frenchpr

Posted in Business, Development

£400m Peak Resort development announced by Prime Minister David Cameron

Prime Minister David Cameron announced Peak Resort, a £400m leisure development near Chesterfield, which will create 1,300 jobs.

The all-weather leisure, health, sport and education destination will be located on the edge of the Peak District National Park.

The tourism development, which will bring more than 1,300 jobs to Chesterfield has been welcomed as a further sign of the borough’s economic strength.

Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield, the town’s marketing campaign, both say the news that the Peak Resort project will soon get underway shows the private sector’s confidence about investing in the borough.

News about the start of work on the integrated all-weather, year round leisure, health, sport and education destination will be formally announced by the Prime Minister David Cameron during a visit to America.

Plans for the project – which is in the Chesterfield borough on the reclaimed opencast mining site, close to the Birchall Estate at Unstone, have been years in the making. It brings together leading hospitality, university, sport and medical expertise and will have 600 holiday apartments, hotel and hostel units with 250 woodland lodges.

Councillor John Burrows, Leader and Executive Member for Regeneration at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “This is a fantastic boost to Chesterfield and its economy and another sign of the confidence the business community has about investing in our borough.

“I congratulate the developer Rupert Carr for his determination and hard work to make this happen. I also thank the council’s planning and economic development teams who have worked closely with him and his company over many years to make this project a reality.

“The development will provide 1,300 jobs when it opens, and hundreds more during the construction phase, so the opportunities for local people to get new jobs will be tremendous.

“And once completed the venue will bring thousands of extra visitors to our borough, improving Chesterfield’s tourism offer, with the knock-on benefits that this gives to our local shops and facilities.”

The move has also received the backing of Destination Chesterfield, the town’s marketing campaign.

Chair, Peter Swallow said: “The benefits of Chesterfield’s proximity to the Peak District National Park will be fully realised with the announcement of Peak Resort.

“The investment by the US firm Grand Heritage Hotel Group will put the town on the international map and I am confident Chesterfield will reap the domino effect of this investment far beyond the construction phase.

“Residents, retailers and developers in the area have an excellent opportunity now to capitalise on Peak Resort ahead of its opening and make Chesterfield the best it can be to ensure a positive lasting impression for all visitors.”

George Cowcher, Chief Executive of the East Midlands Chamber, which represents businesses in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, said: “This is fantastic news and will totally transform both the economy and the tourism offer of Chesterfield and the Peak District.

“This scheme has been in development for many years, so it’s great to see it has finally secured the funding to bring it to fruition, along with the green light to make it happen.”

“The visitor economy, particularly in this part of the region, is a key driver of economic growth and this new development will further enhance the offering, draw more visitors to the area and make Chesterfield and the Peak District an even stronger proposition for potential investors.”

A new regeneration investment organisation, bringing together the two investors – Birchall Properties, led by Rupert Carr, and the US owned Grand Heritage Hotel Group – will be created to lead the project.

Work will start on site between March and April.

Read more about the Peak Resort development

The Peak Resort Masterplan by Stanton Williams (Retina Images)

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

New facilities in Chesterfield for Derbyshire athletes

A new satellite hub designed to help athletes from the Chesterfield area reach the top of their chosen sports has been unveiled.

The Derbyshire Institute of Sport (DIS) programme is for elite performers and has been established as a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games, with the aim of giving stars of the future the chance to push their sporting careers to the next level.

Support comes in the shape of strength and conditioning coaching, access to physiotherapists, nutritional advice and the provision of training facilities.

The main DIS hub is at the University of Derby, who, along with Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council, provide funding to back around 50 athletes.

But two additional sites in Chesterfield – at Chesterfield Borough Council’s Queen’s Park Sports Centre and Staveley Healthy Living Centre – will ensure that those on the DIS programme based further north in the county will enjoy easier access to facilities.

Colin Deaton Table Tennis Academy player Isobel Ashley, 18, from Barrow Hill, is delighted she will now be able to spend more time training.

“The Staveley site is just five minutes from my school where I am studying for my A levels and means I can go straight to the gym there after,” she said.

“I can also use the sports hall to practise at Queen’s Park, as well as the swimming facilities, and it cuts down on the travel to Derby, which can take an hour or more at busy times.”

Golfer George Woolgar, 29, from Tapton, and a member at Chesterfield Golf Club, is aiming to win a place on the European Tour next year.

He said: “I’ve already trained at Staveley and it’s a great facility. It’s a massive help knowing that these places are on my doorstep.”

Another golfer on the DIS programme is 22-year-old Jamie Boler, from Chesterfield. “We can, and will, still travel to Derby some of the time, but training in the town over the winter is going to be a great help,” he said.

The deal between DIS and Chesterfield Borough Council was officially signed on Wednesday morning (December 16) at the Market Hall, Chesterfield.

“It’s a significant development and an opportunity to build on the already great things that Chesterfield people are achieving in sport,” said Mick Blythe, Vice-Chair of Active Chesterfield.

“It gives the community confidence that the right things are in place to give people that final extra value that’s needed to sustain a high performance level.”

Cllr Amanda Sarjeant, Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, at Chesterfield Borough Council added: “The link ties in well with the other work we are doing to support promising young athletes, such as the ICON bursary programme and the Chesterfield School Sports Partnership.”

Although still relatively new, the DIS programme is already beginning to bear fruit, with Tansley shooter Caroline Povey having used her backing to help secure a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in Glasgow this summer.

Ilana Freestone, Director at Derbyshire Sport, which manages the DIS programme, said: “We are trying to give athletes from across Derbyshire the best possible chance to succeed. It’s important to provide local facilities for local athletes.”

Caption: From left to right, Ilana Freestone (Director at Derbyshire Sport), George Woolgar (DIS golfer), Jamie Boler (DIS golfer), Isobel Ashley (DIS table tennis player), Councillor Amanda Serjeant (Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism at Chesterfield Borough Council).

Source:Derbyshire Sport

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development

Building foundations for new Chesterfield Sports Centre

Work has begun on building foundations for new Chesterfield Sports Centre on behalf of Chesterfield Borough Council.

Work is currently being carried out by construction and infrastructure company Morgan Sindall on erecting the steel structure of the new centre on the site of Queen’s Park Annexe. A clause in the contract specifies they should use local labour and materials where possible.

The new centre is funded by £6.725 million from Chesterfield Borough Council, £2.5 million from Chesterfield College, as part of a dual use agreement, £2 million from Sport England’s Strategic Facilities Fund and £25,000 from Squash England.

The current Queens Park Sports Centre will remain open until the new centre opens in early 2016.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development

£16m now available to support growing businesses

Businesses with clear growth aspirations are now invited to apply for a share of a £16 million fund via the University of Derby.

The money has been secured from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF), which is aimed at fuelling business expansion and helping to create and safeguard thousands of jobs in the East Midlands region.

The ‘Invest to Grow’ project, is now open for expressions of interest, which can be submitted via the website: www.derby.ac.uk/investtogrow.

The university will use the fund to support business growth in the region by investing in companies, as well as providing access to its extensive range of wider resources including academic expertise and technology.

Professor John Coyne, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “This is a tremendous vote of confidence in our city and region. We are delighted that the university will deliver this multi-million pound investment, supporting companies in the East Midlands to grow and flourish.

“It will benefit companies that need funding or other support to innovate and accelerate growth, particularly those companies which have the potential to become high value incoming generating businesses.

“This funding is particularly timely, especially in a fast growing region such as ours where companies are trying to grow and confidence is returning but it still remains difficult to get all the help needed from the banks.

“Investing in these companies will create high value jobs in the region, which will help to retain our best graduates and attract others, creating a pipeline of young talent to the region.”

David Ralph, Chief Executive of D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, added: “It is great news that a fresh injection of funding is now available to help support businesses to grow, create new jobs and safeguard others, as well as access wider resources of expertise.

“We have already seen excellent results from the Regional Growth Fund programme in our area, through our own ‘Unlocking Investment for Growth’ programme and others, such as the Derby Enterprise Growth Fund and Global Derbyshire.

“The Invest to Grow project, managed by the University of Derby, will further enhance the help available to firms in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. I would urge all those who need this assistance to further their business, to look into this new grant project.”

The University of Derby Invest to Grow team can be contacted on 01332 597907 or via email: investtogrow@derby.ac.uk

Source:The University of Derby

Posted in Business, Development

Electronics firm moves into 21st-century building thanks to grant funding

An expanding electronics company is enjoying life in a new premises – and has created new jobs – thanks to grant funding of a quarter of a million pounds from the Regional Growth Fund (RGF).

Kingfield Electronics, based in Chesterfield, has moved from two separate locations into a large new manufacturing facility that provides an increased range of manufacturing capabilities, and significantly improves its competitiveness within the global electronics manufacturing marketplace.

The £2.5m project was supported by a grant of £250,000 from the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which has been awarding RGF grants to business across the region.

The grant has enabled Kingfield Electronics to create 30 new jobs and safeguard a further 20 jobs which may otherwise have been under threat.

Kingfield Electronics’ new 45,000sq ft facility at Carrwood Road is in excess of twice the size of the previous premises, and the company says it provides “a far better platform on which to develop and win new customers.”

The project also includes further investment in new equipment, and the implementation of existing equipment that has been in storage due to a previous lack of space.

Kingfield Electronics started up in 1985 and manufactures products for companies operating in a number of high reliability, high technology areas including: aerospace, defence, process instrumentation, and oil/gas production.

It has grown steadily in recent years, though global competition has become tougher due to increased amounts of manufacturing moving out of the UK to countries offering cheaper labour rates.

Nick Taylor, Managing Director of Kingfield Electronics, said: “There is a constant requirement to offer ongoing performance improvements, cost reductions, and ever-quicker turnaround times.

“This latest investment has involved purchasing and refurbishing our new premises, as well as adding new production equipment, including an additional high-speed robotic assembly line.

“We are still a relatively small company, with no group company or external investors. However, we hope that this expansion – made possible with the grant from the RGF – will enable us to grow and compete more strongly in a global marketplace.”

Councillor John Burrows, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Leader and Executive Member for Regeneration said: “Chesterfield is on the up – each year we see new businesses relocating to the borough and existing businesses like Kingfield Electronics growing. In great part this is due to our own regeneration team providing expert support for Chesterfield businesses.

“It is great to see businesses growing thanks to the funding they have received from the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and as a board member I will continue to work with other members in the partnership to get the best deal for businesses and residents in the region.”

The grant funding has come from the LEP’s “Unlocking Business Investment” programme, which has seen £32m in central Government funding allocated to the Sheffield City Region.

Around £29m of that fund has already been allocated, while £3m is still available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that plan to create sustainable, private sector employment in the Sheffield City Region.

Significant expenditure must have taken place by March next year and the balance of investment must be in place by March 2016.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Sheffield City Region has secured a £320m “growth deal” from the Government, which will create more than 28,000 jobs and training for 40,000 people.

This is the fifth-largest sum to be secured of the 39 LEPs within the country.

For more information on Kingfield Electronics visit the website atwww.kingfield-electronics.co.uk

Information regarding Sheffield City Region’s “growth deal” will appear hereover the coming months.

Source:Sheffield City Region

Posted in Business, Development, Made in Chesterfield

Chesterfield firm to expand thanks to £50k grant

A Chesterfield firm is set to boost its workforce thanks to funding from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Corrugated Case Company has secured a £50,000 grant from D2N2’s Unlocking Investment for Growth programme, which is backed by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

It will form part of a £205,000 project to purchase new machinery, allowing the company to produce new work and enter different markets.

Staff numbers will rise by five full-time employees to 38 at the Danesmoor site, where they design, manufacture and merchant corrugated packaging, point-of-sale displays and related packaging material and services.

Three new machines have been purchased with the last of them to be installed in late Nov to create cost-effective types of packs they cannot currently produce whilst a new waste ink cleaning system will allow them to work in a much more environmentally friendly manner.

Mark Wilcockson, M.D. of The Corrugated Case Company, said: “This tranche of investment represents stage three of our three-year investment programme which started back in 2012 and will culminate with a large scale extension to our Danesmoor premises during 2015. I’m very pleased to say that throughout the period all sales and profit forecasts have been met which gives us great confidence going forward.”

David Ralph, Chief Executive of D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, said: “This grant was deemed essential to their plans and the jobs created will be in a high priority area of the region.”

D2N2 secured £5m from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, topped up further by the European Regional Development Fund, to help businesses grow through its Unlocking Investment for Growth (UI4G) programme.

Since launching in 2013, the programme has approved £3.2 million in grant funding which will create more than 300 jobs.  Further applications that are at an advanced stage are requesting in excess of £1.6m and expect to create an additional 200 jobs.

But it is a time-bound opportunity, with capital projects having to be completed by March 2015.

The programme will provide a grant in support of capital investment projects with a minimum overall project value of £200,000.  In exceptional circumstances up to £500,000 of grant funding is available for projects that can demonstrate real potential to create new jobs.

For more information, go to www.d2n2lep.org/UI4G, or call 01332 826366 or email UI4G@embltd.co.uk.

Source:D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

Posted in Business, Development