Development

Chesterfield gastro pub awarded 3 AA rosettes

A pub in the picturesque village of Holymoorside, on the outskirts of Chesterfield has won 3 coveted AA Rosettes at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards.

The Bulls Head was crowned with the accolade at a glittering awards ceremony at JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London, hosted by TV presenter Claudia Winkleman.

The prestigious awards span 15 categories, and is one of the industry’s most highly anticipated events, celebrating the UK’s top hotels, restaurants, and pubs and the people behind them.

The Bulls Head is set on the edge of the Peak District National Park and has a widespread reputation for fine dining. Their overall aim is to provide a high-quality dining experience using produce that is fresh, seasonal and locally sourced.

The Bulls Head has roots dating back to 1881 and great care has been taken during recent renovation of the rooms to preserve the building’s original features, such as stone walls and wooden beams

Mark Aisthorpe, patron, aged 31, who shot to fame in 2022 after appearing on hit BBC show Great British Menu, said: “I would like to thank the AA for this award and we fully respect the trust that has been placed upon us. This prestigious award is a supreme accolade for The Bulls Head. I am so proud of what the Bulls Head stands for and the magnificent efforts of each and every member of the team.”

Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media said: “Every year we present awards to the very best AA-rated hotels, restaurants, spas and their teams across the UK. We introduced the renowned star rating scheme for quality in 1908 and are honoured to shine a well-deserved spotlight on individuals and establishments who consistently deliver excellence to their guests.”

Chesterfield has a quiet food revolution happening – with award-winning restaurants that are attracting national media recognition, and independent coffee shops and pubs with a belief in local produce.

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Revamp for popular stretch of Chesterfield Canal towpath

A 3-mile stretch of Chesterfield Canal towpath is set to undergo key maintenance work, providing a revamp for the popular route.

Resurfacing work will take place between Brimington Road, near Tapton and Works Road, Hollingwood, along with work to widen the path in places.

The work, which is expected to take 2-3 months, is to keep the towpath fit for purpose for cyclists, walkers and other canal visitors.

The public footpath along the route will be closed on occasion but only when necessary to maintain the safety of the public and of the workforce.

Derbyshire County Council says all efforts will be made to keep the towpath accessible and any closures should last no more than a few days. There will be signs on the route to indicate when it is closed and announcements on the Chesterfield Canal page of Derbyshire County Council’s website and the Tapton Lock Facebook page

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, Councillor Carolyn Renwick said: “This towpath is a well-used route for off-road commuting and leisure and that it’s important to keep the path well-maintained to encourage more walking and cycling as well as to retain the area’s appeal for visitors.

“We will carry out the work with the least disruption possible to users and keep people informed as it progresses.”

Sustrans’ National Cycle Network route 67 and the Trans Pennine Trail are both routed along the towpath which is an important part of our cycle network.

The work has been part funded by £108,000 from Chesterfield Borough Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy. This levy is paid by developers towards infrastructure. A further £145,000 for the work has been allocated from central government to our Highways Capital Maintenance Programme for Cycleways.

Councillor Martin Stone, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for climate change, planning and environment, said: “The Chesterfield Canal is a key attraction in our borough and it is fantastic that we have secured funding for these improvements through our Community Infrastructure Levy.

“This levy is charged on certain new developments in Chesterfield and is used to improve infrastructure including roads, parks and primary schools for the benefit of the local community.

“I look forward to the towpath works being completed to help our residents and visitors explore our historic canal.”

canal walking festival 873

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Construction progressing on major cold store expansion for Magnavale

Magnavale, one of the UK’s leading providers of temperature-controlled storage, has announced that its development currently taking place at its Chesterfield cold storage facility has made significant progress, and is on track to be completed in late 2024.

Since breaking ground in February 2023, construction of Magnavale’s Chesterfield cold storage expansion has progressed smoothly. As of August 2023, the company reports that the steel framework is now complete, and the installation of insulated wall and roof panels is also nearing completion.

A Magnavale spokesperson said: “Over the month of September, the construction crew will be finishing the roof membrane and intumescent painting of the new steelwork. Concurrently, work will commence on the small plant rooms and internal services including electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, and other systems.

“On completion, the expansion will add a significant 25,000 pallet positions to the cold stores’ existing capacity of 44,000, bringing the total pallet capacity of the facility to 69,000, making it one of the largest cold stores in the area.

“This expansion will not only accommodate the increasing volumes of Magnavale’s existing customers but also open doors to new customers wanting to utilise Magnavale’s temperature-controlled facilities and value-added services.
The facility features one of the most comprehensive portfolios of value-added services, encompassing, blast freezing, microwave up-tempering and contract packing.

“Coupled with its strategic location, just off the M1, Magnavale Chesterfield is extremely desirable for food manufacturers that wish to cut unnecessary cost, risk, and complexity from their cold chain.”

Well served by the M1 and the Midland Mainline, Chesterfield is within one hour’s drive of four major airports and London is under two hours by rail. Find out more about why the town is perfectly located to base your business.

Magnavale supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

magnavale cold store expansion

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

Investors praise Chesterfield’s location and lifestyle in new campaign

A series of short films celebrating small and medium-sized companies investing in Chesterfield during 2023 have been premiered online by Destination Chesterfield, the organisation responsible for promoting Derbyshire’s largest town as a place to invest, work, live and visit.

The Why Chesterfield, Why Now? films, which are being published and promoted across a range of online and social media channels, including YouTube and the Destination Chesterfield website, seek to inspire more businesses to locate in Chesterfield and attract investors to the Chesterfield Investment Summit, which will take place in October.

They feature four companies – ChargedEV, Rosewood Wealth Management, NeoDyne and Voeberg Hospitality – that have already created more than 100 jobs in Chesterfield and are expected to invest over £5.6 million in the town’s facilities over the next ten years.

All four business leaders featured in the films cited Chesterfield’s central location and transport connections as significant benefits of being located in the town. They also mentioned lifestyle, access to talent and a supportive investment environment as reasons to base businesses in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield will hold its eighth annual investment summit on 18 October 2023, which will outline the town’s growth strategy, detail new investment opportunities, and provide an update on development activities. More than 200 delegates, including domestic and commercial property investors and business leaders from the UK, are expected to attend the event, which is sponsored by East Midlands Chamber and Turner & Townsend.

Data shared in Chesterfield’s growth strategy, published in April 2023, show the town’s business population grew by more than a fifth (21 per cent) in the last decade and created 2,000 new jobs. Chesterfield aims to attract 400 more businesses and a further 2,000 jobs by 2030.

Matt Close, UK Business Lead at NeoDyne, an Irish industrial automation and electrical engineering company that opened its first UK office at Spire Walk in August, said: “There’s a huge benefit to be able to go and see our manufacturing customers and their processes. Getting to them easily and quickly is why we’ve opened the UK office, and Chesterfield is close to many areas that undertake manufacturing in the UK. There are good transport links from airports, public transport and the road network, a history of engineering excellence in the area, and several local universities we’re partnering with and have recruited from.”

Emily Smith, Director of Voeberg, the property investment company developing The Holywell Hotel in Chesterfield town centre, comments: “We moved from Scotland almost two years ago looking for a new investment area for our residential and commercial projects. Chesterfield was one of the first places we looked at because of the location, and it stood out because of the demand in the area. Chesterfield gave us that kind of local feeling that you don’t get in big cities and the ability to bring something new to the area. Going through this project, we’ve worked closely with the council, which has been massively supportive.”

Mark Pymm, Founder and Managing Director at ChargedEV, an electric vehicle chargepoint installation specialist which relocated to The HQ in March, comments: “We’re already one of the leading installers of EV charging points in the UK, and we expect to maintain that position. We needed new premises that allowed us to grow and scale our customer operations and office-based functions, and this building was prime for that. We chose to maintain a team in Chesterfield because of its transport links and central location, which offer easy access nationwide, and because of the diverse and talented range of people we can get here.”

Donna Robertson, Director of Rosewood Wealth Management, an independent financial advice company relocating to One Waterside Place, part of Chesterfield Waterside, comments: “Chesterfield has a great community feel, people do want to help each other out. It is exciting to be part of that and to be able to grow the business and give back to the community. It was great to get in when Chesterfield Waterside was just starting to take off, and be here from the start, knowing how amazing this development is going to be.”

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice-Chair of Destination Chesterfield, comments: “Entrepreneurs and SMEs are vital for economic growth and Chesterfield provides this section of the business community with everything they need to thrive. Businesses in Chesterfield enjoy a strategic location in the centre of the UK, offering access to great talent, great transport links and a great quality of life. Chesterfield is investing in the facilities and homes required to deliver sustained growth, support local startups and scaleups, and attract great people and businesses from elsewhere looking for a compelling alternative to big cities.”

Destination Chesterfield has received £180,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It follows a successful funding bid by Chesterfield Borough Council, to secure £2.69 million worth of funding for local projects.

The HQ Chesterfield Charged EV

 

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Approval granted for Staveley Waterside regeneration project

Approval has been granted for the Staveley Waterside project, which will revitalise the Staveley Canal Basin site.

£2.664 million has been earmarked from the Staveley Town Deal fund, to enable Derbyshire County Council to construct a 2-storey building, offering flexible space for new and existing small businesses, some retail use, and a food and beverage opportunity, with indoor and outdoor dining space, along with an access road, and mooring space.

A total of 11 units are planned within the centre, each equipped with kitchen and restroom facilities, while a new 40-metre footpath is planned along Hall Lane.

The project aims to encourage more visitors to use the canal and will also create space for around ten new businesses. Proposals were unanimously approved recently by councillors at Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee.

Councillor Tony King, cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration at Derbyshire County Council, said: “We’ve put together proposals for an exciting new development, which will help to bring jobs to the area and boost the visitor economy.

“Derbyshire County Council has been working alongside partners over a number of years to improve the Staveley Basin area and the Staveley Town Deal has given us a great opportunity to turn our ideas into reality, using our expertise from Markham Vale to create high-quality business accommodation as well as a visitor destination that people from near and far can enjoy.”

The Staveley Town Deal is a £25 million fund, which will bring forward multiple employment sites, and bring higher-level skilled jobs to the area.

As part of the Staveley Town Deal, Chesterfield Canal Trust is working on the restoration of the canal by extending it from the existing limit at Eckington Road. As well as improving outdoor space and creating new leisure infrastructure, it is expected that the restoration project will lead to a 20% increase in visitors to the Staveley area boosting the amount of money spent in the local economy.

Find out more about the range of benefits associated with locating your organisation in Chesterfield.

staveley waterside

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Sustainability Summit encourages green growth across the East Midlands

East Midlands Chamber has praised the ‘shining examples of success’ of green growth in our regional business community at its latest Sustainability Summit.

The event explored how to unlock the green growth for SMEs and the wider East Midlands economy – across themes including leadership, innovation, international trade and best practice.

It took place against a backdrop in which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the Government will water down net zero policies, including delaying a ban on the sales of new petrol and diesel cars and phasing out gas boilers.

Speakers at the Sustainability Summit said “flip-flopping” over net zero commitments from Westminster created huge uncertainty that undermined long-term investments and would ultimately harm the UK’s quest to become a global leader in the green economy.

About 200 people representing organisations from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire gathered for the event, held in partnership with the University of Derby, Mazars, Thompson Tree Services and Epson.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson said: “We heard at our Sustainability Summit about some of the great things that businesses are doing in pursuing green growth and the very tangible rewards they are reaping with innovation and financial growth.

“These are the shining examples of success we can glean from embracing net zero, which means viewing it as not just a challenge but a golden opportunity.

“Yet while our national leaders correctly talk up the research and development strengths of our businesses and ambitions to be a global leader in developing low-carbon goods and services, there is a huge disconnect between this messaging and Government policy – as evidenced by the Prime Minister’s ill-judged shifting of the goalposts on our country’s net zero commitments.

“We saw first-hand the impact policy flip-flopping has on business decision-making during the chaotic political landscape of 2022, which quashed business confidence and thus investment. The lack of certainty about the future direction of our economy will unfortunately have a similar impact at a time when we should be encouraging transformational long-term investment.

“Having net zero targets is one thing, but to get us there we require a roadmap that will be led by business innovation. The vacillating from our political leaders instead undermines our ability to make real progress in this space and we instead find ourselves stuck in limbo when it comes to the most significant economic opportunity of our lifetime.”

Findings from the Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands research conducted by the Chamber and University of Derby were discussed by report author Dr Polina Baranova, associate professor of strategy and sustainability.

It showed the proportion of East Midlands businesses that have made any income from environmentally-friendly goods and services dropped from 45% in 2022 to 36% in 2023, decarbonisation investment varies significantly according to business size and sector, and a widening gap in business support and information.

Dr Baranova said this illustrated not only the impact of the cost-of-doing business crisis but the “fragility” of the current policy landscape, with green growth yet to be a firmly embedded business philosophy.

Other highlights at the Sustainability Summit included:

  • East Midlands Chamber president Stuart Dawkins discussed how sustainability is at the heart of businesses’ responsibility to support their communities and future generations
  • Professor Chris Bushell, pro vice-chancellor and head of sustainability at the University of Derby, outlined how the institution is taking a lead in the net zero agenda via its research, innovation, thought leadership and knowledge capital
  • Ian Meikle, director of clean growth at Innovate UK, explained how Britain can create jobs and sustainable economic growth by developing its own low-carbon products and services, but this required stable policy and regulation, innovation in business models and supply chains, and a step-change in access to capital
  • Chris Fuggle, global head of sustainability services at audit, tax and advisory services firm Mazars, provided practical strategies to upskill leadership teams on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda and embedding sustainability at board level
  • Charlie de la Haye, communications manager at Epson UK, gave an insight into how the global printing manufacturer had pivoted its business model to deliver green goods and services while demonstrating how it could deliver cost-saving benefits to customers.

Chris Hobson speaking at the East Midlands Chamber sustainability summit

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Work starts on new North Wingfield housing project

Work is now underway on the building of 70 new homes in North Wingfield.

The properties, a mix of two, three and four bed houses, and 2 bed bungalows will all be managed by Rykneld Homes on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council.

Niall Clark, Director of Property Services and Development, at Rykneld Homes, said: “These 70 homes are a big step towards meeting our target to deliver 400 new homes over the next four years.

“These high-quality properties will provide much needed homes for local families.

“We look forward to them becoming available.”

Councillor Nigel Barker, leader of North East Derbyshire District Council added: “We are committed to building and providing more social housing and this development is only the beginning.

“The houses previously on this site were only built to last 30 years, the homes that will be built here now will be high quality homes for local families to live in for decades to come.

“This site will provide much needed housing for our residents and help develop our communities.”

A number of old properties were demolished in preparation for the new development which will consist of 48 homes for affordable rent made up of a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bed houses and 2 bed bungalows and 22 for open market sale made up of a mix of 2 and 3 bed houses.

A ground cutting ceremony on Monday marked the start of building work on the site, off Whiteleas Avenue, by contractor Countryside Partnerships.

Rykneld Homes has worked directly with Countryside Partnerships to develop the proposals thanks to the involvement of Efficiency North’s EN:Procure Framework, a not-for-profit consortium serving the construction procurement needs of the social housing landlord community.

Countryside Partnerships will also provide six apprenticeship places over the course of the build.

Andy Reynolds, regional MD at Countryside Partnerships said: “We’re delighted to be working with Rykneld Homes and North East Derbyshire District Council again to deliver this significant mixed tenure development in North Wingfield. The range of dwellings and various tenures will offer the widest possible choice of affordable homes built to the highest standards.

“Today we marked the start of this exciting scheme as we broke ground with our development partners and look forward to seeing the project come to life over the next couple of years.”

Works are expected to be complete by summer 2025.

Chesterfield and North Derbyshire offers a fantastic quality of life to its residents. Learn more about Living in Chesterfield. 

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Specialist metals supplier confirms major expansion at Markham Vale

Gould Alloys has expanded at Markham Vale, taking a further 55,000 sq. ft. on a 10-year lease.

The deal, which will see Gould Alloys expand into the MV55 unit, comes almost a decade after the business first arrived at Markham Vale, moving into a purpose-built 50,000 sq. ft. building and investing more than £1million in new technology and machinery.

Markham Vale is a flagship 200-acre industrial and logistics scheme in Chesterfield; a joint venture partnership between property developer HBD and Derbyshire County Council. It remains one of the region’s best-located developments, sitting at the heart of the UK motorway network and providing direct access to the M1 via a dedicated junction, J29a.

The new building forms a key part of Gould Alloys’ sustainability strategy, while providing additional space to deliver new contracts in the future.

The deal also demonstrates the continued demand for space at Markham Vale, with MV55 immediately let with no void period.

Tom Wheldon, Head of Region at HBD, said: “It’s great to see Gould Alloys expanding further at Markham Vale. MV55 is the ideal location for the business’ second base at the scheme; a best-in-class building, its sustainable features will support the company’s environmental strategy and help to minimise its carbon output.”

Jane Bradshaw of Gould Alloys, said: “We’ve been at Markham Vale for almost a decade, so it’s great to be able to secure MV55 for our next chapter. The additional 55,000 sq. ft. is a key component of our environmental strategy, ensuring we can operate as sustainably as possible by limiting the movement of materials and reducing our carbon output, while providing additional capacity for the servicing of future contracts as we continue to grow.”

Councillor Tony King, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, said: “Gould Alloys is a real Derbyshire success story and we’re pleased we’ve been able to accommodate their needs and cater for their growth with additional space here at Markham to help them become more sustainable. They are an established part of our business community and we look forward to following their success for many more years to come.”

Gould Alloys is a global supplier of high integrity components for critical applications and one of the fastest growing specialist metals stockholders in the UK. It serves the ferrous and non-ferrous metals requirements of multiple leading-edge industries, with a specific focus on aerospace.

An award-winning property developer, HBD delivers impactful industrial and logistics, urban regeneration and residential schemes. Part of the Henry Boot Group, it operates from six UK offices and is currently working with a £1.25bn development pipeline.

HBD supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Markham Vale MV55

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Made in Chesterfield, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Recruitment event to boost jobs in Chesterfield

People searching for work in Chesterfield are being invited to a recruitment event, where they can meet employers and find out more about local job vacancies and training schemes that lead to employment.

The recruitment event is on Wednesday 27 September from 11am to 1pm in the Assembly Rooms above Chesterfield Market Hall.

Councillor Tricia Gilby leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “We host these events to help ensure everyone in our borough can access new job opportunities as they become available. Working with our partners we provide an informal setting where applicants can speak to employers directly to find out more about the opportunities available and see if the role will be a good fit for them.

“We’ve seen lots of people find employment through these events and I hope that anyone who is currently looking for work will come along and see what opportunities are available in Chesterfield.”

Paul Munday, Employer Adviser at DWP Jobcentre Plus Derbyshire, said: “With the continuing success of recruitment events held in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council, we are very excited to announce that our next event will be running on Wednesday 27 September.

“Moving to a new venue, Chesterfield Market Hall Assembly Rooms, this event will give Chesterfield Residents the opportunity to speak to local employers and find sustainable employment. There will also be a focus on Christmas recruitment campaigns as well as having Derbyshire Careers Service on hand to support attendees with CVs, employability and training/upskilling opportunities.”

The drop-in event is open to everyone, with no need to make an appointment, but job seekers registered with Jobcentre Plus can reserve their place by speaking with their work coach.

There will be lots of seasonal job opportunities available on the day from a range of sectors.

As well as job opportunities there will also be several apprenticeship providers who are currently recruiting for new apprentices. An apprenticeship offers a great opportunity to earn while you learn and can help people at any stage in life. Search for apprenticeships in Chesterfield.

Derbyshire Careers Service will also be attending the event to promote training courses but also advise job seekers on how they can get support with their CV and interview techniques.

Town Market Hall night

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44 new trainees announced by Chesterfield’s BHP Accountants

Chesterfield-based accountancy firm, BHP has announced a new intake of 44 trainees on its successful training programme.

This latest cohort is the second highest for BHP’s training scheme, which provides an opportunity for those looking to break into the finance industry to gain hands-on experience while studying for a professional qualification.

This follows a record-breaking year in 2022, which saw 46 new trainees join the business, underlining BHP’s commitment to investing in future talent and career development. BHP has now taken on 134 trainees in the last three years.

The latest group of trainees cover a range of disciplines and span BHP’s entire network of offices – Chesterfield, Sheffield, Leeds, York, and Cleckheaton. In total, BHP has appointed 21 graduates, 12 non-graduates, and 11 placement students.

Find out more about BHP’s recent move to Chesterfield’s new One Waterside Place office building

BHP’s Director of People, Karen Arch, said: “At BHP, we’re passionate about nurturing and developing the skills of young professionals looking to break through and leave their mark on the finance industry.

“With each intake of trainees, we’re also improving our own workforce by widening our blend of skills, expertise, and personality. These new recruits will bring many benefits, perspectives and added value to our clients.

“Being certified as a Great Place to Work, we pride ourselves on being a supportive workplace that always keeps the wellbeing and future success of our people at the forefront.”

Chief Digital and Efficiency Officer Ellie Dignam said: “I love working at BHP and have enjoyed watching the firm grow and evolve over the last 11 years. I’ve personally benefited from our training programme and it’s great to see that we’re continuing to take on fresh new talent and support them in their career development.”

The company still has vacancies available, and people in Chesterfield will have the chance to meet representatives from BHP at an upcoming recruitment event in the town.

BHP supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

BHP;business;WatersidePlace (5)

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How is Chesterfield creating quality urban spaces for future work and play?

Town centres across the UK must evolve as people demand more experiences and better accessibility. In Chesterfield, several projects are moving forward to improve the look and feel of our key spaces, known as the public realm.

At this point, you might be thinking – ‘What exactly is the public realm?’ In simple terms, it encompasses all publicly owned areas outside of buildings, such as streets, squares, parks, and pedestrian zones. These spaces act as the backdrop for our daily lives, providing settings for social interaction, leisure, and recreation.

Organisations in the town’s Property & Construction Group aim not only to enhance the visual appeal of the town but also to foster a sense of community and pride among its residents.

To find out more, we have been catching up with the people behind some of Chesterfield’s key local public realm projects. Read below to find out about the exciting changes you can expect, or may already have seen across the area.

Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield

We will all see major changes to our town centre over the next couple of years. That is because Chesterfield Borough Council has secured £25m in Levelling-up Funding from the government.

A significant portion of this funding will be spent on improving the public realm in the town. We will benefit from enhancements to the Market and New Square, including more seating, improved lighting, refreshed paving, and a new market layout with modern stalls.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield will improve the look, feel and flow of public spaces across the town centre. We want to celebrate our heritage whilst ensuring the town centre is an attractive place to live, work and visit.

“The improvements aim to encourage people to spend more time in this area, as well as creating enhanced flexible event space to boost visitor numbers.

“Elsewhere, improvements to the public realm will be made along Burlington Street, Rykneld Square and Corporation Street where paving, planting and lighting will be improved.  This will create an enhanced visitor experience when travelling to the market from the railway station and will also support the businesses situated along this route.

“We have already made a start towards this vision with works on Packers Row. This area demonstrates the high standards we are aiming for across the town centre. We expect works to start on the Market area during Spring 2024 with the entire project complete by March 2025.”

Chesterfield Waterside

One Waterside Place

One of Chesterfield’s flagship regeneration schemes, The Chesterfield Waterside project is beginning to come to life.

A new seven-storey office development is now open, with firms such as BHP and Varley operating from there.

But that’s not all!

New homes and leisure spaces will bring a key area close to the railway station back into use.

Speaking on Chesterfield Waterside’s ambitions to create a vibrant public realm for the area, Tom Swallow, Development Manager at Bolsterstone Group commented: “One of the main aims for the regeneration at Chesterfield Waterside is to deliver a truly sustainable development in which people can live, work and ‘play’.

“A high-quality public realm is integral to this aim. It provides a space which people can truly use and appreciate. It is also essential to the making of a new place adjacent to Chesterfield town centre.

“The main function of the public realm is to make places more accessible. It is about creating permeability through the space, linking the surrounding areas such as the town centre, train station and Chesterfield Canal. We are looking to do this through the creation of new public squares, footpaths and shared surface roads which encourage people to walk rather than drive.

“High-quality public realm also supports retail and leisure trade. It drives footfall as occupiers look to locate to areas which complement their business in a safe environment. To achieve this, we’re focusing strongly on landscaping and design during the planning stages. The aim is to draw people to Chesterfield with unique a unique offering. The public realm is the key to unlocking this.”

Elder Way

elder way public realm bsp

The Chesterfield Elder Way scheme is breathing life into the town’s famous former Co-op department store.

This area has already seen major improvements – from modern paving to the addition of nature. It has been designed to give the northern entrance to the town centre a modern feel. BSP Consulting explains how they have collaborated with partners to transform Elder Way.

Carrie Booth, Business Development Manager at BSP said: “BSP has recently been a part of the team that completed a key public realm project in the town. This involved works to the whole length of Elder Way, along with its junctions with Saltergate and Knifesmithgate. The work was part of the wider Northern Gateway regeneration scheme.

“BSP worked alongside Danaher & Walsh, who were appointed by Chesterfield Borough Council to carry out the public realm and highway works.

“The recent scheme that our engineers were involved in included reconstruction of existing footways and paved areas. It also included the introduction of trees, pavement widening, taxi rank improvements, and a range of formal and informal pedestrian crossing improvements.

“We worked on de-cluttering the street scene, adding new bus shelters and re-positioning bus stops on Elder Way. Furthermore, we implemented new street furniture, improved the design of loading bays, and carriageway resurfacing.

“Making the town more accessible to residents and visitors will play a key role in its future regeneration. As a result, Chesterfield’s economy will be boosted, attracting future economic growth and creating more jobs. We are excited to be part of the team regenerating the local area.”

Chesterfield Station Masterplan

Plans to transform Chesterfield Station and the areas around it will ensure a bright and inviting welcome to everyone.

The Chesterfield Station Masterplan centres around a new transport hub, capitalising on the benefits of Chesterfield’s proximity to nearby cities.

Chesterfield Borough Council is partnering with Aecom and Whittam Cox Architects on the proposals.  View the plans in more detail here.

The plans include a new public boulevard for pedestrians and cyclists, leading from the station to the town centre. In addition, those walking to and from the town centre will benefit from a new footbridge over the a61 bypass.

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox and Chair of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group commented: The forthcoming masterplan for Chesterfield Station is not merely a logistical upgrade, but also a reimagining of the space as a welcoming gateway to the town. Careful selection of materials, incorporating both hard and soft landscaping elements, will significantly alter the station’s look and feel.

“Attention to accessibility features, such as well-designed pathways and signage, ensures that the arrival space will be user-friendly for all. By creating a balanced, aesthetically pleasing environment directly outside the station, the masterplan aims to provide a fantastic arrival experience that complements the overall town centre.

“This approach to integrating materials and accessibility features enhances the urban fabric and further solidifies Chesterfield’s status as an increasingly desirable destination.”

Find out more about the wide range of regeneration projects currently taking place in Chesterfield.

To get more information on Chesterfield’s Property & Construction group, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/propertygroup/ or email: PropertyGroup@chesterfield.co.uk.

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