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Work to begin on Chesterfield’s new Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

Work is set to begin on the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre on part of the Holywell Cross (Donut) car park.

Chesterfield Borough Council has appointed local contractor Robert Woodhead Ltd to build the new development for businesses, with work to begin in Spring 2020.

This appointment follows an extensive procurement process undertaken by Chesterfield Borough Council in which Robert Woodhead Ltd has proved successful amidst a highly competitive field of design and build contractors.  The good response by the construction market to this opportunity indicates there is a high level of interest for schemes in Chesterfield.

The new building will provide 32 high-quality offices in a range of sizes (26 to 120 square metres) over three floors.  It offers a shared reception and lobby area, meeting rooms, first floor break out area, bicycle store, shower and changing facilities, air conditioning throughout, lift access, internal bin store, kitchenettes on the first and second floor for use by occupants, individually metered power supplies, access control to all office doors, CCTV coverage to internal communal areas and external area.  IT fibre connection into building with maximum speed multi bandwith and Wifi is provided throughout.

Businesses moving in to the new facility will benefit from its central location, being in easy access to the town centre, Chesterfield train station, local buses and there being car parking nearby, and will benefit from having access to business support.

The development is estimated to take 12 months to build, so will be open for business in early 2021. Those interested in occupying one of the spaces should use the contact details below to discuss options available.

Councillor Terry Gilby, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic development, said: “The new centre will allow those based there to have access to in-house support services to encourage and nurture start-up and early stage businesses in a wide variety of industry sectors.

“The contractor appointed is based in the East Midlands, and as with all our contractors we will work with them in the support of the local labour clause promoting the use of a local supply chain and the employment of local people.

“The council declared a climate emergency in Chesterfield last year so being environmentally friendly in our forthcoming building projects is essential.

“This building has been deliberately designed to reduce its demand for energy and related carbon emissions.  Through this design we are looking to achieve a 39.11% reduction in carbon omissions and 41.28% reduction in annual energy consumption when compared with a standard building.

“The combination of building fabric design and efficient building energy management systems will help us to achieve these targets.  To demonstrate the sustainability credentials of this building we aim to achieve a BREEAM – New Construction Rating of Excellent.

“The location of the building in the town centre also ensures it benefits from proximity to a range of public transport services.  The building will provide shower and changing facilities for those occupants who cycle or travel to work on foot.  A building travel plan will also help promote more environmentally sustainable forms of transport to those using the building.

“The new centre will be the third managed workspace in the council’s portfolio, and we are seeking to build on the success of our well let Tapton and Dunston Innovation Centres.”

Leo Woodhead, Business Development Director at Woodhead Group, said: “Woodhead Group is delighted to be taking part in this exciting opportunity collaborating with Chesterfield Borough Council.”

“Our partnership will allow Woodhead Group to grow and develop our business within the local community.”

The centre will be developed on the same area that the archaeological dig took place last year, with hoarding going up around the site over the next few weeks.  It has benefited from grant funding support from the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund.

To find out more about your business being based in the Enterprise Centre call either Claire Cunningham or Hannah Ramsdale on 01246 345255 or email hannah.ramsdale@chesterfield.gov.uk or claire.cunningham@chesterfield.gov.uk .

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Visiting

Young people to have their say about how they influence county council decisions

Children and young people are set to be asked for their views on the best way for Derbyshire County Council to involve and consult with them on decisions that they make.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet is to consider a proposal at its meeting on Thursday 16 January 2020 to carry out a consultation about changing the Derbyshire Youth Council (DYC) for more representative arrangements to increase the number of young people taking part in local democracy.

The DYC was set up in 2002 and has 36 members aged 11 to 19 voted into office by children and young people through the ‘Big Vote’ process every two years.

As well as hosting the DYC we also support a variety of other opportunities to encourage youth democracy including Locality Youth Forums, the Children in Care Council, School Councils, the Care Leavers’ Council and countywide locality youth forums.

An independent review of these groups carried out in 2018 identified that they were all valued by young people, but that a significant proportion of available staff time and resources was devoted to the DYC which in comparison only benefited a relatively small number of young people.

The Cabinet will consider a recommendation to carry out ‘The Big Consultation’ on a proposal for the DYC to be disbanded and replaced with a strategic network developed around the current School Council and other structures.

If Cabinet agrees to approve the consultation it would run for 12 weeks from Friday 24 January 2020 to Friday 17 April 2020 and gather views from:

  • children and young people
  • schools
  • voluntary organisations
  • youth service providers
  • councillors
  • children’s services managers and staff

Councillor Alex Dale, Cabinet Member for Young People, said: “We are committed to involving young people in our decision-making processes for a variety of reasons including the opportunities for them to learn about democracy and to help us plan services and make the best use of our resources by listening to what they have to say.”

“Young people have told us that the DYC is a great way to discuss relevant issues and make a difference, but they also raised concerns that it was not always representative and only allowed for a small number of young people to be involved and benefit from the experience.”

“That’s why we’re asking Cabinet to consider approving a consultation around a proposal which would focus resources on supporting opportunities young people think would enable and encourage more of them to get involved in local democracy and influence our decision-making process.”

Representatives from the DYC and some schools took part in an initial consultation to help shape the consultation options. The feedback was that it was ‘great to be part of the DYC’ but it was only available for a few young people and funding should be used to enable more young people to be involved in council decisions and that existing groups could be developed using technology to improve communication and connections between them.

 

And the issues young people were most interested in included:

  • the council’s long-term plans and how it is meeting its environmental responsibilities
  • how budgets are spent
  • the quality of schools and services
  • equality and diversity

Current DYC members were due to end their two-year term in office in March 2020 but that would be extended for a further year while proposals for possible future arrangements were considered.

Derbyshire county council are committed to involving young people in local democracy and decision-making and this is supported by legislation including the Children Act 1989, the Education Act 2002 and the Health and Social Care Act 2001.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Secrets, surprises and stories at Chatsworth this winter

In a new series of winter talks, the current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and others from the great Chatsworth Estate are set to reveal some of the secrets of its success.

Sixteen generations of the Cavendish family have built Chatsworth into the thriving, modern estate it is today. Viewers of the recent Channel 4 programme ‘Christmas at Chatsworth House’ will have seen some of the vital work done behind the scenes by the housekeeping, collections and garden teams who conserve the past and safeguard for the future.

In its long and celebrated history, Chatsworth has played host to an extraordinary cast of characters from Mary Queen of Scots to Elizabeth II, John F Kennedy to the Mitford sisters, and Charles Dickens to Evelyn Waugh but these talks also look at the unsung heroes who, for centuries, have kept the great estate running in good order.

All talks are taking place in the Hartington room. While the house, garden and farmyard are closed for the winter (reopening on 21 March 2020) the stables shop and restaurant are open daily from 10.30am to 4.00pm, while the farmyard and playground are also open during half-term, 15-23 February 2020. Free parking is available at Chatsworth during this time and at the nearby Calton Lees car park.

Secrets & surprises: Behind the scenes tours: Selected dates from 20 January 2020–12 March 2020

Explore behind the scenes this winter while the house is normally closed to visitors as it undergoes its annual ‘deep clean’. These guided tours are exclusively available to guests booking a ‘Secrets and Surprises’ accommodation package.

A year in the life of a Chatsworth seamstress: 21 January and 27 February

What does a seamstress at Chatsworth do all day? With miles of fabric to care for, Marie, an expert seamstress on the textiles team, will take you through a ‘typical’ year, highlighting some of the projects she has been involved with over the last five years, from conservation to Christmas, and much more.

Life Stories: An exhibition preview: 7 February 2020

This year’s main exhibition is ‘Life Stories’, which brings to life real people associated with Chatsworth through portraits and objects from the Devonshire Collections.

Connecting with nature: 21 February 2020

What does it mean to connect with nature? Explore the relationships between art and the natural world and why Chatsworth is the ideal setting to do so.

Joseph Paxton at Chatsworth: 28 February 2020

An illustrated talk by Steve Porter, Chatsworth’s Head of Gardens and Landscape, will explore the fascinating history of Joseph Paxton at Chatsworth and the mark he made on the garden including the Great Conservatory.

Garden development: past, present and future: 6 March 2020

Steve Porter, Head of Gardens and Landscape, will give an illustrated talk about its history and present developments, from RHS Chelsea in 2015 to Arcadia in 2019/20 and everything in-between.

Contemporary Chatsworth: 13 March 2020

The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire reflect on the contributions to the Devonshire Collections, house and garden from 16 generations of the Cavendish family.

Dressed to impress: 2 April 2020 and 23 June 2020

Join Marie, an expert seamstress from the textiles team, for an insight into how the Devonshires and their servants were ‘dressed to impress’.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Go behind the scenes of Chatsworth at Christmas with a Channel Four TV Special

Billed as must-see TV, watch the hour long ‘Christmas at Chatsworth House’ airing on Channel Four on Thursday 12 December at 9pm.

Chatsworth welcomed the national broadcaster to come and spend several weeks filming behind the scenes at the Derbyshire stately home as it pulls out all the stops to put on its annual festive season enjoyed by more than 100,000 visitors each year.

Taking a look behind the scenes of the historic Derbyshire house that provided the iconic backdrop for Pride and Prejudice, Christmas At Chatsworth House follows this unique British institution as it prepares for its most important weeks of the year and gets ready to open its doors to its Christmas visitors.

In just five days housekeepers, designers, gardeners and foresters transform Chatsworth with traditional and nostalgic Christmas displays. The house alone is decorated with over 30 Christmas trees, 60,000 baubles and a million fairy lights.

This year’s theme, A Land Far, Far Away, is a global experience with the grand rooms of the house dressed in homage to countries that have influenced generations of the Cavendish family. The Chatsworth team has delved into the collection to find a treasure trove of memorabilia from around the world. Morocco, India, Netherlands, Italy, China, Japan, and America all feature in what is described as ‘one of the most ambitious Christmas seasons staged by Chatsworth’.

ITN Production’s Executive Producer, Will Smith, said: “Viewers will be amazed at the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to transform Chatsworth House at Christmas and make it such a magical and enchanting time for visitors. This one-off documentary will provide a compelling insight into the sheer scale of getting the house ready so that guests can participate in the festive fun and have a Christmas to remember.”

Chatsworth’s Head of Visitor Experience, Sally Ambrose, said: “Christmas at Chatsworth has become one of the biggest events of the year for the estate, so we were delighted to welcome a national broadcaster to come and have a peek behind the scenes and feature some of our wonderful staff who make this such a special experience for thousands of visitors each year.”

Chatsworth Christmas runs up until 5 January 2020. Tickets for House and Garden are priced at £25 per adult and £15 per child (aged between 3-16). Family tickets are also available.

Click here to find out more about Christmas at Chatsworth House.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Christmas, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

55,000 sq ft industrial building now available at Markham Vale

The brand new 55,000 sq. ft. industrial building at Markham Vale, aptly named MV55,  is now available for immediate occupation.

MV55 provides a gross internal warehouse area of 52,500 sq. ft. with a further 2,500 sq. ft. office accommodation at 1st floor level with an option to expand below. With a 10 metre internal height, a 40 metre yard depth, 2 dock level loading doors and 4 level access loading doors, the building provides excellent opportunities for a range of industrial and logistics uses.

Markham Vale is a 200-acre business park with direct access to the M1 motorway via a dedicated junction, J29a. This prime development site offers build-to-suit units from 2,500 up to 300,000 sq. ft. for industrial, warehouse, hotel, office or retail builds.

It has also been announced that HGV repair and maintenance company Transcare 28 Ltd are the latest business to select Markham Vale as a place to meet their growing business needs.

2018 saw 1,600 jobs maintained at the development, along with 164,500 sq. ft. secured of new commercial space for three global businesses; Protec International, Sterigenics and Grangers International.

For a copy of the MV55 brochure or to find out more about relocating to Markham Vale, please click here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home

Details of Chesterfield Festival of Cricket 2020 announced

Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s fixtures for the 2020 season have been released, including details of the popular Chesterfield Festival of Cricket.

The club, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2020, will play 17 days of home weekend and Bank Holiday cricket in 2020, with all but one home County Championship match spanning a weekend.

Twenty20 action returns to the picturesque Queen’s Park on Saturday 20 June as part of the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, with the Falcons aiming for a seventh-straight win over Yorkshire in the format. The fixture was a complete sell out in both 2018 and 2019, with similar demand expected for 2020.

Prior to the visit of the Vikings, Derbyshire face Worcestershire in a County Championship match at the picturesque Queen’s Park to begin the week-long Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.

Derbyshire will face the Yorkshire Vikings in the newly-structured Royal London Cup at Queen’s Park in Chesterfield on Sunday 26th July. The List A visit by Yorkshire will be the sixth day of cricket in Chesterfield next summer.

For full fixture list, visit the Derbyshire County Cricket Club website.

Chief Executive, Ryan Duckett, said: “We are very pleased to be playing more weekend cricket in 2020, allowing more people to support Derbyshire across all formats.”

“Next year promises to be a special occasion for Members, supporters and everyone associated with Derbyshire as we celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary.”

“As part of the celebrations, we are proud to offer a Membership which gives supporters better value for their money at Derbyshire. As well as just under 40 days of regular-season home cricket at The Pattonair County Ground and Chesterfield, we have included a host of exclusive added benefits.”

“As well as our core Membership, we also saw record numbers of supporters backing Derbyshire during the Vitality Blast last summer and with seven home games all handed prime evening and weekend slots, we expect to see demand for tickets surpass that of previous seasons.”

Chesterfield fixtures:

  • County Championship – Worcestershire – Sun 14 – Wed 17 June
  • Vitality Blast – Yorkshire Vikings – Sat 20 June
  • Royal London Cup – Yorkshire Vikings – Sun 26 July

Click here to find out more about the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket.

Click here to find out more about the 150th anniversary of Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

Chesterfield Festival of Cricket Image David Griffin

Posted in About Chesterfield, Featured, Leisure, Summer, Visiting

Be ‘Ginspired’ with Chesterfield’s newest independent retailer

A new independent drinks retailer, Ginspired, has opened in Chesterfield’s Market Hall, specialising in gin, rum, whisky and other spirits.

Ginspired will focus on high quality spirits with over 200 unique and interesting bottles to choose from, as well as a wide range of gift items for Christmas and other special occasions. In store tasting events will also be a regular occurrence and staff will be on hand to provide friendly helpful advice.

Co-Owners Matt and Darren have worked in the drinks industry for 10 years before using their passion and experience to open Ginspired, showcasing a fantastic collection of gin, rum, whisky, vodka, bourbon, liqueurs, mead, cognac and more.

Co-Owner Matt said: “Our name is taken from Chesterfield’s famous Crooked Spire and our passion for Gin. We hope Ginspired will compliment and support the already vibrant beer and gin scene, with some great pubs, bars and producers well established in Chesterfield.”

He added: “We strongly believe in supporting small independent local businesses and our primary focus will be on products from Derbyshire and the surrounding area where possible.”

Ginspired is now open within Chesterfield’s Market Hall.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Christmas, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting

Launch of Vicar Lane’s big screen

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is delighted to announce the launch of their brand-new big screen on Friday 6th December.

The new LED screen is located outdoors, on St. James’ Square and will be used throughout the year and during key seasonal events to create a much more animated focal point and a lively new meeting area for shoppers within the town, as well as being a key feature in free events run by Vicar Lane.

The launch event will begin at 11am, allowing time for visitors to arrive before the ribbon cutting and official switch-on of the screen at 11:30am.

Visitors will then be able to enjoy a series of screenings from new independent stores at Vicar Lane – Shop Indie and Rate Cute – as well as Let’s Go Peak District and Destination Chesterfield.

Between 1pm and 3pm customers will have the chance to enjoy a PIING social gaming event, while a local business networking event takes place in the store underneath the screen, with presentations from Alterx – owners of Vicar Lane – and a special guest speaker before the day comes to a close at 4pm. Local business people and those working in community groups or other local organisations can claim a free ticket here.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager at Vicar Lane, said, “We’re really excited about the launch of our big screen. It’s the first really visible change we’ve made to Vicar Lane in a long time and we hope it’s the start of great things to come, with lots of exciting events throughout the year.’’

The installation of the big screen is the first step in a list of improvements that Alterx, who bought the centre out of administration earlier in the year, plan to make to Vicar Lane having identified an opportunity to revitalise it. So, this event is a celebration of their plans coming to fruition and tangible evidence of the investments being made in Vicar Lane.

Find out more here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Featured, Home, Leisure, Visiting