About Chesterfield

Work progresses at pace on the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre

Work on the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre is progressing at pace – on track to be ready for tenants in the summer.

In March the dry lining and external cladding will be completed, progress has been made on the brickwork and a local contractor has finished the plastering works.

Councillor Dean Collins, cabinet member for economic growth, said: “It’s fantastic to see this building progressing – it sends a clear message that Chesterfield is open for business and a thriving place to invest in.

“This is a key site which will provide new opportunities for local businesses to start, grow and thrive as we move forward from the impact of the pandemic. Supporting new and growing businesses to develop in the borough ultimately creates more jobs and opportunities for local people.

“As well as helping us build back stronger from the impact of Covid-19, the Enterprise Centre also marks a new standard in environmental sustainability in Chesterfield. The building has excellent environmental credentials which not only means reduced emissions, it also helps save on running costs.”

The Enterprise Centre has been designed to a BREEAM Excellent standard. BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method) is a sustainability rating scheme and focuses on building design, construction and use. It helps measure and reduce the environmental impacts of buildings.

Some of the features in the new development include:

  • Encouraging sustainable forms of transport with enough cycle storage space to cater for the number of occupants
  • A flexible building, allowing for future expansion, room subdivision and to allow further segregation and / or open-plan office spaces
  • Refuse areas have space for recycling containers, in compliance with the council’s recycling policy
  • Incorporating the latest water minimisation technologies where possible which will substantially reduce water use
  • Low energy lighting throughout
  • High performance double glazing
  • Bird boxes and mixed planting around the building to attract urban wildlife

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, said: “It’s great to see the project progressing so well on site. The Enterprise Centre is such an important part of the Northern Gateway regeneration, providing a unique commercial offer which is designed to be a catalyst for further investment and development.”

“As well as providing high quality facilities for businesses wanting to locate in the town centre, the architecture provides a new contemporary landmark that sets a benchmark, not only in the aesthetic, but also in the environmental credentials it has been designed to achieve. The Enterprise Centre is further evidence that Chesterfield can deliver its ambition and realise a building fit for a long and sustainable future.”

Daniel Cove, Project Manager at Robert Woodhead Ltd, added: “Works are progressing extremely well and we are pressing ahead with the next stages of the internal work.

“Externally we are taking brickwork up to second-floor level, finishing final cladding works in preparation for removing the scaffold. We will then start the external hard landscaping and paving.”

The centre is well connected in a town centre location and is classed as ‘grade A’ office accommodation – a mark of the highest quality. Prospective tenants can find out more about the centre at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/enterprise, by email at economic.development@chesterfield.gov.uk, or call on 01246 345255.

Whittam Cox Architects and Woodhead Group support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Chesterfield says ‘we’re back’ for friendly local shopping

Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield are supporting the re-opening of the high streets this April with the message ‘we’re back’ to encourage shoppers back to Chesterfield’s high streets. Find out more at www.chesterfield.co.uk/wereback

The mini campaign includes a video on social media, featuring some of Chesterfield’s many independent businesses and market traders, asking people to come back shopping in Chesterfield. The video reminds people that safety is everything, but we do need to support our local high streets.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “It will be great to see the start of the re-opening of our town centre and high streets this April.

“It is however essential that we keep our own and everyone else’s safety in mind when we go back to shopping locally in Chesterfield to make sure our town centre stays open. I urge everyone to continue with hands, face and space as we start to re-open.

“Our local shops and retailers have worked so hard over lockdown, offering click and collect and delivery options but it has been a massive struggle for businesses and now it’s up to us to get back out shopping locally. Our businesses really need your support.

“Spending a few pounds a week with local businesses will make a massive difference to them. It’s been convenient to shop online but let’s do more of that with local businesses and also shop safely with them once again in our town centre and high streets.

“Chesterfield is a fantastic place to shop. We pride ourselves on being a friendly town, with many great independent businesses who are ready to welcome everyone back. So, come back and support your town this April.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented: “The lifting of restrictions on non-essential retail is very much welcomed and further progress in the high street’s journey towards normality. Seeing our favourite businesses adapt with online shopping and click and collect services during lockdown has been inspiring, but shopping in Chesterfield is an experience that can’t be replicated at home.

“Lockdown has shown us all the importance of the high street and the contribution it makes not only to the economy but to the lives of local people and I would encourage everyone to support the high street and shop local to help the many businesses based on it in their recovery.”

To also help support local businesses that are re-opening, and to showcase Chesterfield as a great place to visit, the council is offering local businesses the chance to take out free listings on the Visit Chesterfield website until 31 March 2022.

Independent businesses who are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity can find more details on www.visitchesterfield.info/advertising. Businesses will need to complete an application form and send it along with high resolution images or videos to tourism@chesterfield.gov.uk.

Find out more about shopping in Chesterfield here.

 

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Over £23m to be invested in council housing across Chesterfield

More than £23 million is to be spent improving and increasing the housing supply across Chesterfield – as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to enhance the borough’s housing offer and meet the needs of residents.

Councillors have agreed to the ambitious Housing Capital Programme – which sets out the council’s investment priorities for 2021/22 and the medium-term investment through to 2024/25.

The Housing Capital Programme sets out the priorities to ensure that council housing in the borough continues to meet the decent homes standard and provide the good quality, affordable homes for people in Chesterfield.

Modernisation and refurbishment of the council’s existing housing stock continues to be a main focus of the council’s programme of works – including roof repairs, the installation of windows and improvements to estate environments to ensure all properties continue to meet the decent homes standard.

Since 2019 the council will have added 64 new homes to its housing stock and a further 53 homes in the pipeline for 2021-2023, meaning the council will meet its target of adding new 100 new homes to the housing register by 2023 – giving local families more choice and access to modern properties.

The council will also continue to invest in homes for older people, with works currently progressing well at Mallard Court and Leander Court. When completed, this will offer modern, affordable and attractive housing for older people in Staveley for the future.

In response to the climate emergency that was declared by the council in July 2019, the council is also committed to ensuring that all of its homes are energy efficient – allowing Chesterfield to become a low carbon, resilient and sustainable borough.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for housing, said: “Our aim as always is to enhance Chesterfield’s housing offer so that people of all ages can find, and live in a quality home they can afford. Our capital programme shows that we are committed to improving our housing stock to ensure it meets the needs of the people of Chesterfield, as well actively contributing to the climate change agenda by ensuring all homes are energy efficient.

“Investing in affordable and social housing has never been as important, given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has had on many people financially, so it is vital that we continue to enhance the borough’s housing needs and supply affordable living. Our programme of investment has been developed and amended to recognise the challenges which have arisen from the Covid-19 crisis and, together with our partners, we are doing all we can to ensure any minor delays to key projects are resolved, allowing us to achieve our goals.

“We are committed to building a sustainable future and in response to the climate change emergency declared by the council in 2019, we’re taking measures to ensure our homes are energy efficient – which will not only help the planet, but will also give our residents access to affordable warmth.”

“During 2020 – 21 we achieved some key milestones in improving our housing stock and we’re proud that 100 per cent of our properties meet the decent homes standards. By continuing to refurbish and modernise our homes and estates, we can continue to ensure we maintain these standards for local families.”

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Funding available for Chesterfield businesses to take on remote-working interns

Small businesses in Chesterfield and Derbyshire can receive up to £7,000 in funding and support to recruit remotely-based student and graduate talent into their workforce.

The rise in remote working due to the COVID-19 pandemic means the University is now able to work with more businesses than ever before, including those who previously may not have had the office space to accommodate a graduate.

The opportunities are provided by the GRADS for D2N2 project which is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and is part of the ESF High-Level Skills programme.

ESF supports activities to extend employment opportunities and develop a skilled workforce. The GRADS for D2N2 project is delivered by the University of Derby as part of the High Level Skills consortium which also includes Nottingham Trent University, Derby College, Nottingham College, and Nottingham City Council.

Chesterfield small business (SME) owner Rebecca Erskine, owner of Yellow Bird Marketing and Communications recounted the benefits of working alongside the University after taking on a graduate, Maciej Rus and current University of Derby student, Freya Padmore.

The team put together a series of remotely-filmed videos showcasing the virtues of remote working and the importance of internships as a way for students and graduates to gain “a competitive edge” and “apply the skills learnt at the University to the workplace.”

Rebecca said: “I recently took on two interns from the University of Derby. I think it is really important that the University, regardless of its name, supports businesses across the county of Derbyshire and that is the benefit of this particular programme.

“I think that when people are hard-working, they deserve real opportunity in life. Very often there are things that sit on the back-burner as far as your business is concerned.

“As a small business owner, obviously what brings in the money is the billable work and that has to be your priority, but it can’t be at the expense of business development or promoting your business so the interns coming into the project have really helped me make sure that I am looking at every element of the business. Remote working has given me the perfect opportunity to get the candidates that I really wanted for the project, regardless of where they’re based.”

Freya said: “Having experience that I can talk about in interviews and my applications gives me just that competitive edge compared to some other students who haven’t had any experience yet.

“I’m working in a really small team now so we can really bounce ideas off each other. It’s just given me a much better idea about what I want to do when I graduate.

“I don’t have to commute to work anymore. I can literally just sit at my desk and everything’s there that I need. I can literally log on whenever I want to, finish working when I want to, just based on when I feel like working.”

Support available to SMEs includes organisations needs assessments, talent grants, graduate internships, Employability and Apprenticeship workshops, curriculum co-design and more.

For more information please contact driven@derby.ac.uk

The University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through  Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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Chatsworth supplies hundreds of ready meals to the vaccination frontline

Chefs at the Chatsworth Estate have begun creating ready meals for distribution to Covid vaccination centres across Derbyshire, with hundreds of meals being delivered to frontline workers every week.

Hot food for hard working volunteers and staff includes Chatsworth favourites such as lasagne, macaroni cheese, cottage pie made with local beef, and mushroom and leek risotto among others.

Instead of preparing meals for visitors to Chatsworth, for the past few weeks chefs in the Carriage House Café kitchen have been cooking ready meals to provide vaccination staff working long hours with fuel for the fight against Covid. Chatsworth’s delivery drivers have been dropping off meals at destinations including Chesterfield Royal, St. Oswald’s in Ashbourne, Royal Derby and others among the county’s 24 vaccination centres.

Derbyshire has shown that it is leading the nation’s vaccination roll-out – in one week recently, the country vaccinated the second highest proportion of eligible residents in the whole of England.

Chris Baily Jones, Head of Catering at Chatsworth: “The vaccination drive in Derbyshire and elsewhere is absolutely vital in making us all safe for a way out of lockdown. We’re determined to do our bit to support Derbyshire NHS and all the people working such long hours to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible.”

Ready meals for Derbyshire vaccination centres has been made possible with funding from Chatsworth Estate alongside personal contributions from a number of individuals at Chatsworth. The Devonshire Group community forum, which includes Chatsworth, is chaired by Lord Burlington, son of the Duke of Devonshire, and was set up at the start of the Covid pandemic to reach out and support local communities.

A large number of charitable organisations are supported by the Devonshire Group through donations of money, items and complimentary tickets, and by offering savings on commercial rates. In 2019, charitable giving across the Devonshire Group amounted to £334,452.

For more information on Chatsworth and the community, visit https://www.chatsworth.org/about-chatsworth/our-shared-future/

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through  Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Images supplied by the Chatsworth House Trust

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Chesterfield Waterside progressing well in 2021

The town’s £340 million Chesterfield Waterside scheme continues apace following the submission of an additional Reserved Matters application for the remaining elements of Basin Square, to the new ‘One Waterside Place’ office accommodation.

Recognised as being one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, Chesterfield Waterside is being led by Chesterfield-based Bolsterstone Group Plc working in conjunction with Arnold Laver Group and Chesterfield Borough Council.

Since 2019 the scheme has made significant progress with construction beginning on 173 two, three and four-bedroom homes at Waterside Quarter in 2020 followed by the start of construction on the seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place at Basin Square, in 2020.

Avant Homes’ £36 million development forms part of The Park character area of Chesterfield Waterside and is the company’s largest site in the Chesterfield area to date.

The showhomes opened in August last year and in only six months nearly 20% of the 173 homes at Waterside Quarter have been sold with some already occupied.

Avant Homes Central head of sales, Dawn Bennett, said: “We’ve received a great response from buyers at our Waterside Quarter development and interest in our homes has remained consistently strong since its launch in 2020.

“In September, we unveiled three of our design-led two, three and four-bedroom showhomes, which were shortly followed by our first residents moving into their homes.

“Work on-site is still progressing well and with more than 30 homes now sold, we’re hugely excited to continue to see great success at Waterside Quarter.

“The showhomes comprise of The Beckbridge, The Northbridge and The Westbridge house types, all of which have elevations that are entirely bespoke to this development. These properties have given interested buyers a chance to see the Avant Homes specification first-hand by personal appointment and, as a result, we’ve seen a surge in interest for our homes.”

Last year, the Basin Square character area at Chesterfield Waterside also made significant progress. The first phase will see the delivery of Grade A office space, known as One Waterside Place, to meet the requirements of local occupiers. Tenants have already been secured for part of the building, and further tenants are being sought by property agents Knight Frank and FHP. In September 2020 Chesterfield Borough Council secured a forward funding agreement with Chesterfield Waterside Ltd, to bring forward construction of Waterside Place in the Basin Square neighbourhood of the development.

Harry Orwin-Allen from the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, said: “Chesterfield Waterside is an exciting, high quality, mixed-use scheme which will revitalise the eastern side of Chesterfield on an unprecedented scale for the town.

“This development comes at a time when Chesterfield is becoming a popular base for SMEs with its good town centre facilities and links to the motorway network.”

The office block is part of a wider business and residential offering in phase one of Basin which comprises offices, a hotel, multi-storey car park and build-to-rent apartments, which will be centred around the new canal basin and pedestrianized public realm which will be home to the renowned Dame Barbara Hepworth sculpture.

Britcon (UK) Ltd, a leading Civil Engineering, Building and Steel Frame Solutions company began construction of the office block in October. As part of the contract with Chesterfield Borough Council, Britcon will utilise local labour and local contractors across the whole build process as well as working closely with Chesterfield College.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Work is progressing well on site and we hope that One Waterside Place will be complete and ready for businesses to move into from September 2021. The development, which is being led by local company Bolsterstone PLC, has already created around £1.7 million of orders for local contractors. The project is also helping young people develop skills – an innovative partnership with the college is allowing students to track the process and learn more about the construction industry. When Covid-19 restrictions allow, there are further plans for site visits for local schools, and on-site work experience opportunities.

“Waterside is just one of several major developments in Chesterfield that will help ensure the town has a strong economic recovery following the pandemic. Together with our HS2 Station Masterplan it will see that area of the town completely transformed, making it more attractive for visitors and businesses, which will help further strengthen the local economy and ensure there are great opportunities available to everyone in our community.”

Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group PLC which is leading the Chesterfield Waterside scheme, said: “We are delighted with the progress Chesterfield Waterside is making with both the residential and commercial offering. The strong interest from both residents and businesses is testament to both the progressive design and quality of the buildings at Waterside.

“The submission of the Reserved Matters application ensures that the progress we are making continues at pace despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.”

You can find out more about the Chesterfield Waterside development here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/chesterfield-waterside/

To book an appointment to view the showhomes at Waterside Quarter call 01246 889 450 or visit www.avanthomes.co.uk/waterside-quarter/

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Chesterfield welcomes new pop-up events company

A new luxury pop-up events company has arrived in Chesterfield, providing people with the opportunity to hire exclusive garden igloos for use in their private spaces.

Diamond Domes and Dining is aiming to help people celebrate occasions safely, while remaining within their own household group or support bubble.

The company, founded by Chesterfield resident Chloe Britland has already achieved a number of successes since its launch, and is now looking forward to taking bookings for multiple households and groups getting ready for their long-awaited catch-up from March 29th.

Chloe explained how she hopes the new venture will help local people re-connect in a safe way when restrictions are eased: “Throughout the lockdowns, there have been so many people that have missed out on special events, dates which should have been memorable occasions and I felt that something was needed to fill the gap. I saw the garden igloos a while back, they’re manufactured overseas and I knew I could dress them up and make them look fantastic!”

The company’s signature ‘Diamond Dining’ package includes a fully-decorated igloo in the customer’s garden with mood lighting, luxury tableware and options to add flowers, balloon designs and cakes. There is flexibility for the customers to make the event completely bespoke around their needs.

Diamond Domes and Dining has also been launched with the ethos of promoting and celebrating as many small local businesses as possible at a time of need. As part of this, the company is running a Mother’s Day giveaway competition on its social media pages in collaboration with other businesses in the area.

Other local companies included in the giveaway include:

  • Talking Balloons
  • Totally Cheesecakes
  • Sam’s Flower Boutique
  • The Tupton Tap
  • Farview Farm Creations
  • Massage by Bec Needham
  • Small Town Girl Bakery

Chloe added: “I feel that the area is really growing with new businesses and is proving an exciting time for entrepreneurs and business owners. The lockdown has placed a huge emphasis on supporting your local small businesses and I believe this should be celebrated and businesses should work together to support one another.

“I have had a crazy response since launching in February and I am so excited for the future.”

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Chesterfield residents can have their say on major new cycling and walking route

Derbyshire County Council has published ambitious plans for an east-west walking and cycling route for Chesterfield and local people are being asked for their views.The government has awarded the authority  just over £1.6 million to create a new route for cyclists and those on foot.

The route will go from the A619 junction with Holymoor Road, along Chatsworth Road and the existing Hipper Valley Trail, through Queen’s Park, and to the hospital by using Crow Lane and Wetlands Lane.

The plans for the route include improving existing sections by widening and resurfacing, to provide enough space for all users and allow for better social distancing.

Councillor Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said: “This new route will help many people to walk or cycle into the town centre, to the railway station and the hospital.

“We’ve already seen a huge increase in the number of cyclists in the town centre and this route will help to take more traffic off the roads, which can only be a good thing for everyone.

“We can’t use this money for anything else, nor can we use it anywhere else in the county, so I’d urge everyone who lives locally to have a look at the plans and let us have their views.”

The consultation closes on 25 March 2021 and you can take part here.

Chesterfield and North Derbyshire already has a number of cycling routes, catered towards all ages and abilities. We’ve put together a list of 10 great routes in our area for you to take on…  Find out more and get on your bike today!

And for those who are new to cycling or unsure on how to get started, we’ve put together a guide to show you how easy and convenient cycling in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire can be. It’s a great way to improve your own health and the health of our local environment!

Cycling in Queens Park - Get on your bike in Chesterfield

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£25.2m investment for Staveley announced

Town leaders have welcomed a multi-million pound funding boost which will pave the way for significant regeneration in a former mining community in North Derbyshire.

Staveley is set to benefit from £25.2m worth of funding following the Government’s Town Deal programme announcement today – presenting a ‘golden opportunity’ to transform the area for future generations.

It follows a successful bid for funding by the Staveley Town Deal Board, which submitted a Town Investment Plan to unlock the funding package for a range of projects that will drive long term economic growth, offer quality skills and employment opportunities and improve the green spaces and canal network around Staveley.

And it is a further boost for the borough’s wider growth agenda – adding to the significant and sustained investments that are already being made across the area to ensure Chesterfield’s communities are in the strongest possible position to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ivan Fomin, Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “We are delighted at the news from Government today that Staveley stands to be awarded £25.2m as part of the Towns Fund.

“Our plans are rooted in the needs and aspirations of Staveley’s communities, and have been driven by the Board’s collective ambitions to attract the investment that this area deserves.

“Bringing funding on this scale to Staveley will transform the area and realise huge benefits to local people, both in terms of how they lead their everyday lives and take advantage of future opportunities. As a local businessman and Chair of the Town Deal Board, I am thrilled that Government has recognised the potential of our place and sees the value in backing our Town Investment Plan.”

The funding will be spent over a five-year period, steered by the Staveley Town Deal Board, and with the overall programme managed by Chesterfield Borough Council.

It follows an earlier successful bid by the Board under the Government’s Accelerator Fund – securing £500,000 worth of funding for grassroots projects. They include a new state-of-the-art all-weather sports pitch at Springwell Community College, new play equipment for King George V Playing Field and new CCTV equipment for Staveley town centre.

Welcoming the news, Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, added: “Today’s announcement is tremendous news for our borough, and for the communities of Staveley who are set to benefit from this sizeable investment in a range of exciting projects and programmes.

“This is a golden opportunity which paves the way for this former mining community – which has often been overlooked by previous national funding programmes – to realise its full potential both now and in the future.

“I would like to thank all of the partners who have worked on the Town Deal over the last year. Staveley is a very special place with a rich history and wonderful assets. Through this funding, we will look to harness the town’s great potential through re-vitalising the high street, delivering new investment and much-needed jobs, supporting local people to reach their full potential and exciting the interest of new visitors to the place.”

Following the announcement of the funding offer, partners in Staveley will be working with Government to agree the terms for the next stage of the Town Deal programme and to determine how each project will be funded.

This will allow the promoters of each project to develop their full business cases, which will be needed before the funding can be released. The Staveley Town Deal Board will be supporting each project through that process so that delivery on the ground can start as soon as practicable.

Elsewhere in North Derbyshire, £24.1 million has been awarded to kickstart a number of regeneration projects in Clay Cross.

North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Councillor Carolyn Renwick said: “What an incredible and proud moment this is for Clay Cross and North East Derbyshire. To be awarded the full sum we asked for – over £24 million pounds will mean Clay Cross will be an exciting hub of redevelopment, opportunity and prosperity for years to come.”

You’ll be able to find out more about all of the projects included as part of the Staveley Town Deal and other regeneration sites across the area at the virtual Celebrate Chesterfield event, taking place on Wednesday, 31st March. To register your place at the virtual event, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/

Find out more about all the regeneration projects taking place across Staveley here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/staveley/

 

Works road and canal basin

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Chesterfield packaging specialists Robinson launch new sustainability pledge

A Chesterfield manufacturer specialising in value added custom packaging has announced the launch of its ambitious sustainability pledge.

The pledge by Robinson outlines a range of commitments underpinned by their strategic priorities focused on putting the customer first, sustainable growth and thriving people.

CEO Dr Helene Roberts says this the blueprint for Robinson’s future-fit business. She says: “We have a role to contribute to sustainability and regenerative growth, which we view as key drivers with great opportunities for our business and the industry.

“Sustainability is about capacity for now and the long-term: meeting social and environmental needs without compromising the ability of future generations to thrive and prosper. In an industry where our products are used every day, we understand that we must make the most of the resources we use while meeting consumer needs in food and product protection.

“Our aim is circularity: to recover, regenerate and restore all products and materials at the end of their useful life.”

Lubna Edwards, Sustainability and Marketing Director for Robinson, is managing the roll out of the Sustainability Pledge, based on five pillars and 15 ambitious commitments:

  • People – helping people thrive and building a happy and healthy culture, with goals to include implementation of a comprehensive people development plan, zero accidents every year, and championing employee health and wellbeing.
  • Regeneration – extracting the maximum value from resources used in all operations and recovering and restoring materials and resources at the end of their life. Goals include zero waste to landfill, becoming net carbon positive and implementing principles for sustainable buildings.
  • Intelligence – creating sustainable products and services and partnering with customers to contribute to building a circular economy by applying purposeful design, using recycled materials and designing packaging for recyclability. Goals include virgin plastic reduction, maximum recycled content and all products to be fully recyclable.
  • Transformation – driving shared commercial value and income streams beyond current business models and collaborating with customers and partners to regenerate local circular economies. Goals focus on sustainable business environments, greener spaces and habitats, and offering reusable products.
  • Community – delivering real tangible social and environmental benefits to local communities, educating the next generation of change-makers and bringing more sustainable initiatives to the areas in which the business operates. Goals include offering career-enhancing work experience and opportunities, engaging educators and students on the benefits of packaging and recycling and giving back to communities.

Lubna says: “I am delighted to launch our Sustainability Pledge which strengthens our ability to deliver packaging with purpose. It is supports delivery of our company purpose which is to go above and beyond to create a sustainable future for our people and planet. It is an ambitious pledge but one I am confident we will achieve with the support of our people and partners.”

Robinson supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through  Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

 

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Chesterfield’s Avant Homes Central appoints new Regional Development Director

Housebuilder Avant Homes Central, which is based in Chesterfield has promoted its technical director, Chris Clingo, to the newly created role of regional development director.

Chris has 18 years’ experience in the housebuilding industry and joined Avant Homes in April 2014 as a senior engineer for the Yorkshire region. In his new role, Chris will be responsible for leading the regional development team while also overseeing the planning and commercial functions for the business.

Commenting on his promotion, Chris said: “During my time at Avant Homes I’ve worked across the Yorkshire, Central and Group operations undertaking six separate roles for the company, so I’m proud to have been given the opportunity to take another step in my career as regional development director.

“I bring a great passion for people and the Avant Homes product to the role and I hope to acquire additional skills to build upon my success personally and to benefit the Central region.”

Avant Homes is one of the Midlands’ leading private residential property developers. The Central company currently has 10 live developments in the region.

Avant Homes Central managing director, Stuart Rowlands, said: “Chris has real dedication for the housebuilding industry and following his years of experience in the sector is more than up to the challenge of leading the regional development team in our Central region.

“As the new regional development director, Chris’ expertise will be vital in ensuring our planning and commercial functions are sound and achievable as we continue to drive Avant Homes towards further success.”

Avant Homes Central also announced four further promotions across its regional operation including Lorna Rider who was promoted to land director; Llinos Lewis who has been appointed to regional sales manager; Jack Staples, who has been promoted to regional assistant sales manager; and Paul Sterling who is now an area construction manager for the region.

Stuart continued: “Alongside Chris, we’re pleased to have promoted four further members of the Central team. We are committed to investing in our people and developing their potential at all levels of their career. They all play a significant role in their departments across the business and represent the great people we strive to have in our Central team. We congratulate all of them on their new positions.”

Avant Homes is one of the UK’s leading private residential property developers. The company currently has 60 live developments being delivered by five regional operating companies.

The company is currently progressing with the construction of 173 new homes on the former timber yard site off Brimington Road as part of the landmark Chesterfield Waterside development

In addition to its Central operation, Avant Homes has four other operating companies located within the Scotland, North East, Yorkshire and the Midlands. The Avant Homes Group builds approximately 2,000 homes each year, has a turnover of circa £500m and employs around 780 people in total.

Avant Homes supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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