Reinventing the high street: Chesterfield and Staveley’s next chapter
Chesterfield and Staveley are rethinking the role of their town centres, moving beyond traditional retail to create places that combine living, working and leisure.
Backed by significant public investment and strong private sector collaboration, both towns are undergoing sustained transformation.
At a roundtable held during UKREiiF, the UK’s biggest regeneration and investment conference, leaders from development, planning, construction, and local and regional government highlighted the important opportunities across the borough’s town centres.
A changing town centre
Chesterfield town centre is already seeing the impact of investment, including nearly £20 million of improvements to public spaces and connectivity.
The revitalised market, enhanced public realm and increased activity are helping to reshape how the town centre is used.
Liam Hawkins, Operations Director at Maylim, said: “We can’t just expect every shop to be full again, it’s about creating somewhere people want to spend time, experience-led and attractive.”
Flexibility will be central to how the town centre evolves. Paul Holden, Director at Peak Architects, said, “We need to think more creatively, spaces need to be able to work in different ways depending on what’s needed.”
This reflects a wider move towards adaptable, mixed-use environments that can respond to changing demand.
The next phase
A key opportunity sits within the town centre and the opportunity to think about how spaces like the Pavements shopping centre can be used differently but can also create improved connections to the wider area.
Alex Hyams, Head of Mixed-Use Asset Management at Milligan, said: “It has a massive role to play, it’s not about looking inwards, it’s about how it connects out into the rest of the town.”
The ambition is to strengthen links between the town centre and Ravenside while introducing a broader mix of uses, including leisure, residential and community spaces.
Staveley: regeneration with purpose
Alongside Chesterfield town centre, Staveley is a major focus for regeneration.
A £25 million Town Deal programme has supported a range of projects across place, enterprise, health and wellbeing. The wider Staveley growth corridor aims to unlock housing, employment and improved connectivity.
Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We want communities that have been left behind to benefit from regeneration and share in the success it brings.”
Building momentum for the future
For partners across the borough, regeneration is about consistent progress over time.
Rhian Davitt-Jones, Director at CBRE, said: “It is about setting out a clear story and vision for investors and making sure infrastructure links to those growth opportunities.”
Ken Harrison, Director of Spatial Development at East Midlands Combined County Authority, added: “It’s about places that adapt and flex over time, where those opportunities can come forward.”
Andy Dabbs, Managing Executive Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “There isn’t one big solution; it’s about a series of smaller interventions that build momentum over time.”
With continued investment and strong collaboration, Chesterfield and Staveley town centres are creating a compelling offer for investors and communities alike.
Developers and occupiers are invited to explore a range of live regeneration opportunities across the borough at https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments.
