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.”

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.”

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.”

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.”

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