Property and Construction

Dozens of jobs to be created at Derbyshire’s first electric forecourt at Markham Vale

One of our area’s flagship regeneration sites, Markham Vale, could soon be home to a state-of-the-art Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station powered exclusively by renewable energy.

Gridserve, the tech-enabled sustainable energy business, has submitted a planning proposal application to Chesterfield Borough Council to build another of its award-winning Electric Forecourt sites at Markham Vale.

Markham Vale Electric Forecourt would be a timely addition to the Borough, more than doubling the number of chargers to meet both current and growing needs for electric car drivers in the area. The proposed site would be the first dedicated EV charging facility of its kind in the area, with 30 chargers supplied by 100% renewable energy and connectors to serve drivers of every type of EV.

The proposed location for the new Electric Forecourt is between Enterprise Way and the eastern side of Duckmanton. The site plans feature 22 high power chargers, providing up to 350kW – powerful enough to supply up to 100-miles of range in less than 10-minutes. Additionally, six AC chargers providing up to 22kW complete the plans.

The development would make a significant contribution to local electric vehicle charging infrastructure and would create 25+ full time equivalent employment opportunities through the design, engineering, construction and operation phases. Interested parties are invited to view information on the proposal here. www.gridserve.com/markhamvale

Gridserve CEO, Toddington Harper, said; “We are committed to delivering EV charging infrastructure that both enables the transition to net zero carbon transport, and excites drivers to make the transition to electric vehicles. The geographical distribution of EV charging across the UK is essential to usher in the mass market era of electric vehicles. This development would benefit the local community, and the wider UK as it reduces its reliance on fossil fuels. We are proud to have chosen the area of Markham Vale for this project and we hope the people across the region share our passion for delivering a cleaner, more sustainable future in the earliest possible timeframes.”

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said: “We welcome Gridserve’s interest in Markham Vale and, if their proposal is granted planning permission, the new Electric Forecourt, will give motorists the confidence to make the switch to an electric vehicle and move us closer to our target of helping to get 1,000 public facing electric vehicle charge points in place throughout the county by 2025.”

“Decarbonising transport is one of our top priorities as part of our climate change strategy which aims to reduce emissions generated by the county council to net-zero by 2032 or sooner and help the rest of Derbyshire reduce carbon emissions generated within the county to net zero by 2050 or sooner.”

Richard Hinds, Development Surveyor at HBD, said: “Markham Vale is one of the largest industrial and logistics schemes in the North, so it’s important that we look to the future to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to provide motorists with clean energy. We’re very pleased to welcome Gridserve and look forward to working with the team as they bring their plans forward.”

 

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Robert Woodhead Ltd sustainability initiative scoops prestigious award

Robert Woodhead Ltd have won the Environmental or Community Initiative of the Year 2022 at the National Federation of Builder’s Construction of Excellence awards.

The company’s ‘Going Beyond Green’  initiative detailed efforts including:

  • The company’s 10 year Climate Action Framework which will lead them to their goal of becoming a climate positive contractor with zero single use plastic on site by December 2029.
  • The ‘Future Home‘ product which has been developed to meet 2025 building regulations today and can achieve NET Zero carbon. The results will be accelerated delivery, up to an 80% reduction in carbon emissions and up to £175 in tenant bill savings.
  • On-site carbon monitoring.
  • Launching an EV scheme for employees and progressing a vision towards an all-electric Fleet.

The event took place at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel in London on Thursday 8th April, with attendance from Business Services Director, Tom Woodhead, and Janine Broderick, People Development Director. The company also invited Estimator Scott Wilkinson and Assistant Project Manager Liam Thorpe in recognition for their great work they have done for the environmental efforts of the company.

Scott was instrumental in Woodhead’s support for the community woodland, securing 1,000 trees to be planted as part of the national pathfinding project in Bolsover. You can read more about this initiative here.

Liam completed his dissertation on embodied carbon and collaborated with Woodhead Group client, Nottingham City Homes, to undertake a focus group/presentation with their new build team. He encouraged Nottingham City Homes to consider the impact of embodied carbon in their projects and how to reduce it. Liam’s learning was applied to Woodhead’s Eastglade site, which consists of 106 homes, where the team prevented 116 Tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Subsequently, the carbon footprint of the foundations was reduced by 76%.

Robert Woodhead Ltd supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Major refurbishment to take place at prominent Chesterfield office building

A major refurbishment of prominent Chesterfield office space, The HQ, Rowland Hill House in Chesterfield is underway, resulting in a raft of new tenants.

The works being carried out by FI Real Estate Management includes a £1.2m remodelling of the ground and third floors, which has created brand new reception and meeting space and the ground floor has been split into a series of smaller suites in response to market demand. This is now fully occupied by a diverse range of businesses including software consultancy Forefront Technology and advertising agency, Eehhaaa.

The next phase of works will see a £1m+ refurbishment of the first and second floors that will see the space divided to provide smaller units, with discussions already ongoing with a number of interested parties from Derbyshire and beyond.

The HQ, Rowland Hill House offers a wide range of refurbished, flexible and affordable office space from 400 sq ft up – right up to 60,331 sq ft across four floors. Space can be divided in order to meet specific business requirements, with turnkey and bespoke packages available.

The property also boasts 326 on site parking spaces, unlike many office buildings in the area.

Situated within the heart of the historic market town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, Rowland Hill House is just a 15 minute drive from the M1 and East Midlands Airport only a 40-minute car journey away.

A spokesperson for FI Real Estate Management commented: “We continue to see strong demand for high quality office space in prime locations in Derbyshire and the surrounding area, particularly those with ample on-site parking like here at The HQ, Rowland Hill House.

“Local and regional businesses are keen to find first class office environments but understandably want the flexibility to create solutions that are tailored to them and suit their unique needs. We’re able to offer traditional leases as well as bespoke, turnkey packages and are already seeing good interest in floors one and two on this basis.”

Find out more about the wide range of quality and affordable office spaces here in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/office/

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Largest council housing development in a generation set to welcome new families

Local families are set to move into their new homes after works on the biggest council housing development in the borough since the 1980s are complete.

A £4.1m development has seen 21 brand new properties constructed on the former Brockwell Court site in Loundsley Green – the latest development as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to increasing the supply of affordable and accessible homes across the town.

The new development, named Badger Croft, comprises of ten two-bedroom houses, six three-bedroom houses, four four-bedroom houses and one three-bedroom bungalow – all of which will be let to local families on the council’s housing resister.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for housing, said: “We’re pleased to see that this development is complete and ready to welcome families to their new homes. It’s the biggest council housing development of this generation, so it’s a huge milestone in our efforts to increase the housing supply across the borough.

“Creating attractive places for people to live is at the heart of what we do and these new properties will provide affordable, modern and accessible homes for families in our borough.”

In response to the climate emergency that was declared by council leaders in July 2019, the council is committed to ensuring that all its housing stock is as energy efficient as possible.

Councillor Ludlow added: “It’s really important that new developments in the borough take account of environmental issues – contributing to a more sustainable future for us all.

“Living in a warm and energy efficient home is not only better for our planet, it will also reduce costs to run the property, offering affordable warmth to our tenants.”

Each of the new properties has increased levels of insulation throughout and electric vehicle charging points have been installed on properties with driveways to support lower carbon transport options.

Whilst works were ongoing on site, the council’s main contractor, Henry Boot Construction, worked with the local Holmebrook Conservation and Improvement Group to complete additional landscaping works and environmental improvements close to the new development that will help to enhance the wider local community. This included the creation of wildflower meadows and planting that will help boost biodiversity and support pollinators.

Ryan O’Loughlin, Director at Henry Boot Construction, said: “As a local contractor, it has been a pleasure working with Chesterfield Borough Council to deliver an exceptional development. Residential is a sector of strategic importance for Henry Boot Construction and this adds to our impressive portfolio of high-quality schemes.”

The council’s Local Plan encourages all schemes costing over £1m to include a work of art to the value of 1% of the total cost of the project, as part of the ‘Percentage for Art’ scheme which the council has operated since 1994.

This has been reflected with the development at Badger Croft where the council approached artists to submit proposals for an art installation that embraced a Badger theme associated with the area. After proposals were submitted, and through vigorous debate, local councillors made the decision to go with Coralie Turpin, who designed a 3.4m tall steel structure and then created a handmade mosaic design incorporating badgers and celebrating nature.

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Office space? Chesterfield has it all!

With rapid regeneration currently taking place in Chesterfield, we got the thoughts of two people in our town helping to lead the way in providing high quality office spaces.

Developments such as the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre and One Waterside Place are set to open this year, while existing spaces are continuing to be revamped to create affordable and state-of-the-art premises for businesses.

Whether you’re just launching or taking steps to grow your business, Chesterfield has plenty of options available. Find out more at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/office/

To find out more about the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/propertygroup/

Building high-quality offices in Chesterfield

Tom Swallow, Development Manager, Bolsterstone Group PLC

Offices remain important to companies – they are vital hubs to facilitate collaboration, team building, training and mentoring particularly where younger members of the workforce are concerned.

The post-pandemic return to the office has led to a shift away from the ‘traditional’ approach to office space. Businesses are now reconsidering how they use their space and looking at how they can adapt it to a more modern, agile way of working. This has resulted in a dramatic change in office space requirements. and a ‘Flight to prime’.

As a result of the pandemic, companies are now looking to modern, high quality workspace to attract their staff back into the office and maximise on the efficiencies of agile working.

Companies want modern, quality workspaces that are flexible and provide good services and amenities. Quality is overtaking quantity, as it’s unlikely all employees will be in on the same days as they adopt a hybrid working from home /office model.

On the back of the delivery of high quality office developments and refurbishments across the borough – Chesterfield is in an excellent position to capitalise on the change in office demands post pandemic.

A 2021 survey by CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, found that 63% of employers planned to introduce or expand the use of hybrid working to some degree, combining time in the workplace with time at home, depending on the needs of the job, the individual and the team, and the team working practices.

Additionally, many large companies are now looking to move away from their single city centre HQs and, instead, implement a ‘hub and spoke’ office model – a network of smaller regional offices in well-connected locations.

With new offices at The Glass Yard, and the Enterprise Centre and our own scheme, One Waterside Place at Chesterfield Waterside, nearing completion, Chesterfield is well positioned to meet all the post pandemic office needs.

The addition of high quality office space to Chesterfield is important for economic recovery. The quality of space offered not only supports the growth ambitions of local companies, but also facilitates inward investment from companies locating from elsewhere in the UK (the hub and spoke model).

The social impact of offices is another emerging key factor for occupiers too, with Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) policies now at the heart of decision making. Sustainability is at the heart of such decisions – occupiers are focusing on their carbon footprint in all aspects of their operations. High quality design with a focus on sustainability through the whole life cycle of the building are real criteria for businesses looking to relocate and Chesterfield has designed buildings to meet the highest scoring criteria, further adding to its appeal.

The creation of new, Grade A office space with larger floor plates and high quality amenities allows Chesterfield to compete with other towns across the region. One Waterside Place for example is a BREEAM rated ‘Very Good’ property, has two passenger lifts, raised access flooring, air conditioning, LED lighting, a high-quality entrance foyer, showers and cycle parking facilities onsite. It is city-quality office space that allows employers to provide flexible and collaborative workspace in the post-Covid world.

Add The Glass Yard, the recently refurbished HQ building and the Enterprise Centre (BREEAM ‘Excellent’) to the town’s existing office space provision, and I believe we can truly say that Chesterfield has something for everyone – from start-ups to growing and mature businesses.

The new office marketing campaign, led by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire Economic Partnership, provides a central showcase for companies to see available office space opportunites across the borough.

Our variety of office space, competitive cost, central location, mainline train station and proximity to the Peak District, is all helping make Chesterfield an obvious location for many businesses looking to balance and accommodate hybrid working arrangements for their workforce. The town has, once again, proved it is ahead of the curve.

Creating great working environments

Amy Revell, Co-Founder of We Are Spaces Ltd

The workspace is a fascinating topic for me, I’m a creative person with a keen interest in the psychology of why we do what we do. The workplace is the perfect blend of the two, bringing together people and property.

Our Businesses are full of different personalities, pressures and demands, which is why a quality workspace is so important to support the needs of your team. Throughout the pandemic we’ve all been forced to change and work in different ways, some embracing this, and others really struggling. But what is evidently clear in our modern world of working is to ensure we provide dynamic, engaging, sustainable and healthy workspaces for us all to achieve our very best.

The office isn’t just about providing a desk, we all need much more than this to feel inspired, energised and productive. To futureproof our offices, it’s important we adapt to hybrid working, meaning you are able to provide a little bit of everything, at any time. From open plan agile work stations, to quiet focus zones, collaborative areas, fully AV enabled meeting spaces, places to be sociable, to build trust and rapport, and crucially, an environment to allow our younger, less experienced workers to learn from their co-workers.

In addition, our health and wellbeing is a hot topic, and something we should all be striving to improve upon. Our workspaces need to be healthy environments, with good levels of fresh air and ventilation, robust heating and cooling systems, lots of natural light and acoustic comfort really needs to be considered. If we get all of these basics right, creating an engaging and productive space is much easier to achieve.

This is proving to be a huge success in Chesterfield as we are seeing a large increase in inward investment and large businesses looking to locate their workspaces here, due to the mix of high quality office space, good transport links and overall quality of life. This brings new and exciting job prospects to Chesterfield, its raises the aspirations of our young learners and workforce, more people look to live in Chesterfield and in turn boosts our local economy.

We are very fortunate in Chesterfield, as the council and local developers have continued to invest in a range of high quality workspaces. For example, the Northern Gateway has a warm and inviting reception with modern and bright furniture pieces, sociable shared breakout areas, temperature controlled office suites, with plenty of fresh air, natural light, acoustic baffles and lovely views of the towns greenspaces and iconic crooked spire.

The Waterside development has high reaching ceilings, with energy efficient LED lighting, fantastic fresh air and ventilation system, floor to ceiling windows, allowing all the natural light to flood in and the higher floors have fantastic views of rolling hills lush greenery. In addition, The Glass Yard really provides a fantastic industrial style workplace experience, with leisure, food and beverage and health and wellbeing businesses on site. In creating workspaces that allow us to create a great experience for the user, we will all have a happier, healthier and productive workforce.

Our workspaces also need to cater for the rapidly growing digital and tech sector. There is huge growth in new tech and digital starts up, and Chesterfield is already great at providing business support, but our workspaces also need to be able to provide fast and reliable broadband, spaces for efficient digital content creation and inspiring design to really allow new innovation to thrive.

This is where investing in a quality interior fit out and furniture, can have such a big impact on the overall success of the workspace. Lots of our businesses in Chesterfield are already embracing this. I have been working first hand with many. For instance, Hunters Estate Agents have now adapted to a fully agile work environment. Moving to The Glass Yard, they have reduced from 3 floors to 1, so they can work collaboratively together as a close knit team.

They have also been able to reduce their overall square footage, saving key overhead costs to their business. By working closely with the team, we have been able to understand their challenges and opportunities, and with the volume of high quality workspace on offer, they have been able to make great changes to their workspace, which will put them in a much better position for the next 10 years.

To this end, I hope you will be able to see how important it is that our councils and developers continue to invest and build high quality workspaces, so that we can attract new businesses, create more jobs, generate new revenue and grow further opportunities for everyone to thrive.

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Staveley Town Deal funding confirmed

Over £25m worth of projects which will benefit Staveley residents for generations to come have been given the official go ahead, after Government approved the package of all eleven projects within the Staveley Town Deal Programme.

It is a significant milestone for the range of projects that will receive funding through the Towns Fund, which are being delivered by a variety of organisations including Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, Staveley Town Council, Barrow Hill Community Trust, Chesterfield Canal Trust, Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club and Tawnywood Ltd.

Together the projects offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve the quality of life for residents, create new employment opportunities with higher level skills, ensure it is a place where everyone can be proud to live and guarantee that the town and its residents have a bright future ahead – supporting Staveley as a place to start, stay and grow.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board and Managing Director of Staveley based MSE Hiller, said: “The projects that are being funded through the Town Deal are designed to complement one another and have been developed in response to the challenges and opportunities in Staveley. The project sponsors have worked hard to get to this point but we are now moving into delivering these projects and ensuring that they can benefit everyone in Staveley.”

Chesterfield Borough Council is the accountable programme lead but will also be delivering three projects using Town Deal funding.

A round up of the key projects being led by each partner is included below.

Chesterfield Borough Council

The Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) is a rail innovation and training centre located in Barrow Hill. It is being developed by the Council in partnership with Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society, Chesterfield College, the University of Derby, Newcastle University and Talgo.

Staveley 21 aims to regenerate and revitalise Staveley town centre. It is based around the masterplan developed last year and includes Wi-Fi connectivity and environmental improvements to ensure the town centre is attractive, with a good retail and leisure offering that residents can enjoy.

The final project delivered by Chesterfield Borough Council is the Construction Skills Hub which is a movable construction training centre initially based on a live construction site in Mastin Moor. It is being developed with a training provider and construction sector businesses to ensure people can develop the skills they need for a successful career and be ready to embrace future modern and sustainable construction methods.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of the Town Deal Board said: “The Town Deal represents a once in lifetime opportunity for Staveley and its residents. Each project is fantastic in its own right, but together they are truly transformative for the entire area. We want everyone to benefit from this investment and to understand how each of these projects can enhance Staveley and the local community.”

champions event

Derbyshire County Council

Staveley Waterside is the first phase of a mixed-use development centred around the Staveley Canal Basin. This will include the creation of an access road, pontoons to create moorings, a café and flexible office and workshop space for small businesses.

Wheels to Work is focussed on ensuring everyone can access employment and training opportunities by providing bicycles and e-scooters for those who don’t have access to a private vehicle and have limited transport options.  There will also be real time passenger information and EV charge points.

Derbyshire County Council is also leading on the reinstatement of Staveley Railway Station but this is subject to confirmation of funding from the Government to restore the Barrow Hill Line. A decision on this is expected in the near future.

Councillor Tony King, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration and Member of the Town Deal Board, said: “This is a great opportunity to work together to benefit Staveley and the wider community.

“We’re looking forward to building on the success of our flagship regeneration site Markham Vale to open up the canal basin as a base for business and a visitor attraction.

“And we’re pleased to be widening out our Wheels to Work scheme to improve employment and training opportunities in the area as well as continuing to press the case for a train station in the town which will broaden opportunities for commuting for work and connectivity for business further still.”

Works road and canal basin

Staveley Town Council

Staveley Town Council is using the funding it has secured to extend the historic Staveley Hall and create a modern events space with an extension to the café and the creation of two flexible events spaces that can be used for informal community events and also business led events.

Councillor Paul Mann, Leader of Staveley Town Council, said: We are very excited about the proposed project to build a new conference and events centre at Staveley Hall. I believe that it fits well with the wider strategic plans for developing Staveley and it will provide a modern, energy efficient facility for the community and businesses that will add economic value and jobs to the Staveley area.”

Chesterfield events

Barrow Hill Community Trust

Barrow Hill Community Trust is the community development charity for the village of Barrow Hill and surrounding neighbourhoods. It is leading on the refurbishment of Barrow Hill Memorial Hall to create a modern community hub where local residents can access support services and socialise together.

Simon Redding, Chair of Trustees said: “The community trust and people of Barrow Hill are overjoyed that we will finally have the services which other communities take for granted.

The Memorial Hall will be a community hub for all, with the facilities which local people have asked for – all thanks to the Town Deal.”

Chesterfield Canal Trust

Chesterfield Canal Trust is restoring the Chesterfield Canal to the borough boundary. Works include the reconstruction of 850m of canal channel, a new aqueduct over the river Doe Lea, bridges, a new lock and 3km of footpath improvements along the towpath and connecting routes to multiuser trails, it complements other works the Trust is undertaking in Renishaw.

Peter Hardy, Chair of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, said: “Our scheme will bring enormous benefits to the residents of Staveley and surrounding areas with the extension of the canal from Staveley Waterside almost to the river Doe Lea. Together with the other projects awarded money from the Towns Fund, it will enhance the environment, health and wellbeing of all who live in the area.

“We are indebted to the local company Suon Ltd. which has donated the clay to be used in this project; without this generosity the scheme would not have been possible.

“This project is the catalyst for the Chesterfield Canal Trust to complete the restoration of the canal.”

Hartington Industrial Park

Hartington Industrial Park is a 20-hectare site that has outline planning permission for industrial and warehouse development that will create more local jobs near to the successful Markham Vale site. The funding will support the development of infrastructure and enabling works to bring forward the development.

Simon White, Property Director at Tawnywood Ltd, said: “At Hartington Industrial Park we are delighted that the Town Deal has given us the opportunity to move this site from a relatively low grade secondary industrial location to one able to offer new businesses excellent access and infrastructure and so become an attractive location to companies seeking high quality modern manufacturing and warehouse accommodation providing numerous jobs across a wide range of opportunities. The proposal is to emulate the success of Markham Vale on a smaller scale and create quality buildings attracting a wide range of employment types boosting the scale and quality of the local environment and job offers in Staveley itself.”

Hartington Industrial Park

Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club

Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club is using funding to create an academy where young people earn BTECs or similar qualifications in sport. It includes the creation of two classrooms above the club house and will also use some funding to improve the car park near to the Chantry Playing Fields.

Terry Damms, Chairman of Staveley MWFC, said: “I’m really excited by the prospect of further facilities for the Staveley community and creating closer links for 16 to18-year-olds to develop their skills and complete their education. The purpose-built education facility will not only support local education it can also be used by other bodies like the Derbyshire FA to provide training and courses. Together with the Town Deal Accelerator Funding, the club will receive around £0.5 million of investment through the town deal and this supports funding provided through Viridor credits.

“The youngsters of Staveley have the best possible opportunities. We would like to thank the Staveley Town Deal Board for their commitment to us and support through the funding. The Trojans are here to serve the community and this is yet another clear example of us understanding and delivering the ethos required to suit this wide range of people within the Staveley community.”

You can find out more about the Town Deal and keep up to date with the latest developments here: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/staveley-town-deal

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Work starts to improve traffic flow around Ravenside Retail Park

A new £270,000 project to improve traffic flow, road safety and access for cyclists, pedestrians and buses has started at the A619/Park Road junction in Chesterfield.

New low-energy, intelligent traffic lights will be installed to automatically monitor and adjust timings to minimise delays at the busy junction which provides access to the popular Ravenside Retail Park.

To help encourage cycling and walking, a new Toucan crossing will be installed at the crossing on Park Road, with wider footways to provide space for pedestrians and cyclists. The Toucan crossing will automatically detect cyclists and alert the traffic lights to change to reduce waiting times.

As part of the scheme, any local buses running late will be automatically prioritised with a green light to make up lost time, increasing the convenience of travelling by bus.

New LED (light emitting diode) streetlights will also be installed on the approaches to the junction to reduce energy costs and improve visibility for all road users.

To help reduce delays as far as possible during the works, engineers are trialling the use of a new high-tech temporary traffic light system, which is being used for the first time in the county. The system mirrors the way the junction’s permanent lights normally work to keep disruption to a minimum.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal said:“We are using the very latest technology to bring state-of-the-art traffic solutions to this busy junction in Chesterfield.

“The new traffic lights and pedestrian crossings we install will interact with each other to maximise traffic flow for all road users, improving road safety and reducing delays and greenhouse gas emissions.

“We recognise the improvements will lead to some short-term delays while the works are being carried out which is why we are trialling the new high-tech temporary traffic lights to try to keep these delays to a minimum.

“I’d like to thank local road users for their patience during these improvements which are one part of our £50m package to make Derbyshire a safer, more connected county for everyone.”

 

Site preparation works will start on Monday 28 March, with the construction works beginning on Wednesday 30 March. The roadworks will be in place from 8am to 4pm. Local road users are encouraged to allow extra time for their journeys.

 

 

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Progress continues on new urgent care department at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

The ‘super structure’ of the £24m Urgent and Emergency Care Development (UECD) at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has now been completed.

The UECD, due to open its doors in Spring/Summer 2023, has now reached the next stage in its build with the final concrete floor slab, now in place thanks to the expertise of specialist tradespeople.

The final section will be the base for offices, changing facilities and staff rooms.

Berenice Groves, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer, said: “This is a great landmark moment for the development. It means we have completed a pivotal stage, without issue or concern and the structural elements are now in place. As we move forward, we’re focusing more on how the building will function and truly benefit our patients, colleagues and visitors.”

The concrete used is steel fibre reinforced concrete. The steel fibres reduce the need for traditional reinforcing bars and mesh as the fibres, making the process more effective and efficient. The concrete was pumped through a mobile concrete pump to the work site before being vibrated, and ‘floated’. ‘Powerfloating’ essentially polishes the surface of the concrete to achieve a smooth uniform finish to a high level of accuracy.

Though the concrete can now be walked on, having been poured on Friday, 11 March, it will continue to set for a further 56 days.

Berenice added: “The move to complete our structure of the UECD is a hugely positive and welcome one. The concrete – like many of the elements of the building – was managed by professionals, who are specialists in their area and we are very pleased with the process to date.”

The Trust recently went out to patients, colleagues and the public to ask about the colours and artwork for the new development – the results of this will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

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

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New Chesterfield care home includes luxurious cinema, hair salon, tea room and bar

A brand-new care home in Chesterfield will provide its residents with a number of luxurious facilities, after being officially opened earlier this month.

Belvedere House is a brand new purpose-built residential care home based in the heart of Chesterfield, situated on St Augustine’s Road. It was officially unveiled in a grand opening attended by the mayor of Chesterfield, Cllr Glenys Falconer on Saturday, 19th March.

The facility built by Crown Care Group will provide luxurious living accommodation, with 64 bedrooms as well as a range of facilities for residents to enjoy including a cinema, tea room, bar/ brasserie, garden room, hair salon and extensive landscaped gardens.

The home will generate up to 50 jobs within the local area when it is at maximum capacity.

Claire Adsetts, Customer Relations Manager for Crown Care Group said: “We are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to provide the very best care within a luxury setting, the whole team are keen to provide a professional service while also creating a home from home feel for our residents.

“We are extremely proud of the home and feel you really need to see it to believe the five star hotel feel that has been created. We are currently open to viewings and look forward to becoming an integral part of the local community.”

Claire added that providing quality care for people in the town is of great importance: “The care sector is an integral part health and social care, ensuring choice and the right care are available to all. Providing a brand new home with up to date luxury facilities will offer a choice to people who are looking for a care home but feel they have yet to find a home that provides luxury accommodation at an affordable price.

“Our initial team have now been recruited but we are keen to accept applications across all roles within the home for our next phase of recruitment.”

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£5 million restoration confirmed for Chesterfield Canal as part of Staveley Town Deal

The Chesterfield Canal Trust says it is delighted to have been awarded £5.3 million from the Staveley Town Deal Fund.

The funding means that over the next three years, the canal will be extended by half a mile from Hartington Harbour onto the Staveley Puddlebank which runs across the Doe Lea valley.

There will also be two miles of multi-use towpath all the way to Renishaw. There will be a new lock and two new bridges, and a siphon pipe to take the water from Staveley Waterside (the new name for Staveley Town Basin) to the new canal section. In addition, full designs will be prepared for further work.

Peter Hardy, Chair of the Chesterfield Canal Trust said: “Our scheme will bring enormous benefits to the residents of Staveley and surrounding areas with the extension of the canal from Staveley Waterside almost to the river Doe Lea. Together with the other projects awarded money from the Towns Fund, it will enhance the environment, health and wellbeing of all who live in the area.

“It will be the catalyst for the Chesterfield Canal Trust to complete the restoration of the canal.

“We are indebted to the local company Suon Ltd. which has donated the clay to be used in this project; without this generosity the scheme would not have been possible.”

The Trust further hopes to complete the canal restoration through to Renishaw. This will include the spectacular Doe Lea aqueduct, planned to be 37 metres long and 10 metres above river level.

The Trust’s volunteer Work Party has already started its Rewatering Renishaw project which will bring another half-mile of canal back to life. The aim is to join the two projects together finishing up with an extra 2½ miles of canal in the next few years.

For the next few months, the Trust’s Project Team, led by Mark Potter, will be making detailed preparations, preparing tender documents, appointing staff, and awarding contracts.

The first actual construction work will be the new Trans-Pennine Trail bridge, just east of the existing Eckington Road Bridge. This is scheduled to start early next year. The main earth moving to rebuild the Puddlebank will not start until 2024.

The Trust appointed George Rogers as its Development Manager just under three years ago. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to get the restoration to this point. Upon hearing the news of the award his reaction was “Now the hard work starts!”

The Trust has expressed its gratitude for all the support that it has received from Chesterfield Borough Council, the Staveley Town Deal Board, Derbyshire County Council, Lee Rowley MP, Toby Perkins MP, countless councillors and, perhaps most importantly, its membership and the local people in whose hearts the canal holds a very special place.

Chesterfield Canal Trust and Suon Ltd. support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Peak Edge Hotel receives go-ahead for hotel expansion and luxury spa

Derbyshire’s premium, four-star Peak Edge Hotel, has just been granted planning permission to expand the existing hotel and build a luxury spa.

The application for planning was approved on March 22nd, which will see an additional 27 bedrooms, in addition to a large spa facility featuring a range of experiences including a heated, indoor-outdoor hydro pool, sauna, steam rooms, several treatment rooms, and its own dedicated café bar.

The development follows huge efforts over the last 18 months to renovate and expand the hotel and adjoining 2 AA rosette awarded restaurant, Red Lion. Works already completed include an expansion of the existing Orangery Suite into the new Oak Room; additional restoration works to the property’s second function suite, The Walton; an expansion of the Red Lion restaurant and additional back of house and office space.

Owner Steve Perez said: “This is the exciting next phase in building a stunning destination for visitors to Derbyshire and for the local community. The extended hotel and luxury spa facility will be built to blend into the existing countryside and will be designed to the most exacting standards. We’re hoping to build a hotel and spa that exceeds expectations of all our guests, present and future”.

With planning permission now approved, updates on the plans, designs, and timings will be shared throughout the process.  Building work is likely to start in late Autumn, ideally in October, with completion expected by November 2023.

To find out more about Peak Edge Hotel visit www.peakedgehotel.co.uk

Recently, the hotel was commended as the best wedding venue in Derbyshire, after scooping the accolade at the 2022 Hitched Wedding Awards.

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

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