Development

D2N2 to provide funding to revitalise the heart of Chesterfield

24th September 2020

D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire has approved an investment of £650,000 towards the Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project (RHOC).

The funding, provided by D2N2 via its Local Growth Fund allocation, will support the £3.25m upgrade of the improvement works to the outdoor market as well as an extension of the public space in the town’s Northern Gateway area.

The Local Growth Fund enables D2N2, to invest in projects that benefit the local area and economy, supporting greater numbers of jobs, homes, and learners.

The D2N2 funding will support the creation of 66 jobs as well as safeguarding 80 jobs on the outdoor market.

The upgrades to Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway which includes Packers Row, a key pedestrian route into the town centre and Market, will re-balance the space available to the public in favour of pedestrians whilst also encouraging outdoor seating for restaurants and cafes.

The route will also feature a greater number of trees to help improve air quality for users of the street.

The new revitalised outdoor market will include better lighting and power; improved access and stall configuration; general paving repairs; and new flexible trading areas as well as the repair of all existing stall structures.

Overseen by Chesterfield Borough Council, the improvements to Packers Row will be complete by March next year with the redevelopment of the outdoor market due to be completed by November 2021.

D2N2 has provided funding for several infrastructure projects based in Chesterfield including the Hollis Lane Link Road, sites required the development of the HS2 station, improvements to the A61, and the Chesterfield Centre for Higher Level Skills.

D2N2 Interim Chair David Williams said: “D2N2 is pleased to be able to provide funding to revitalise the centre of Chesterfield which is an important step in the ambitious regeneration of the town.”

“Town centres will no doubt have an important role in our economic recovery from the pandemic and the firm commitment to maximising public space for pedestrians and local businesses should be a sign of how our urban centres will evolve in the years ahead.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project will allow us to bring new life to our town centre and famous outdoor market, enabling us to attract more footfall and visitor spend, which will help support our local businesses and allow them to thrive.”

“This project will also ensure that the town centre, and the local economy, is well placed to recover as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Luke Hall MP said: “We want to level-up towns across the country, ensuring they have the investment they need to continue to grow and thrive so that prosperity and opportunities are available to everyone.”

“That is why we are investing £650,000 in the Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield Scheme which will improve the outdoor market, create new jobs, and make it easier for restaurants and cafes to set up outdoor seating.”

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

Planning permission granted for a Health and Wellness Park at PEAK

24th September 2020

Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee have granted reserved matters planning approval for the development of a new Health and Wellness Park at PEAK.

The £40 million pound Park will consist of a multi-purpose international standard health and wellness clinic, world class hotel, specialist lodging and therapeutic gardens.

The Park will operate in the international and national health and wellness tourism market. Whilst this scale of facility is available in other countries such as Austria, Switzerland and Germany, the Park will be the first such facility in the UK. The development is expected to open in 2023.

The developer Peak Healthcare Parks Limited has also announced a partnership with UKIHMA for the delivery of the clinical provision. The UKIHMA is the national membership organisation which brings together the very best of UK Healthcare from across the public and private sector.

James Smith, CEO of Peak Healthcare Parks Limited said “We are delighted to be moving forward on this exciting project, our mission is to bring world class health and wellness facilities supported by beautiful and purposeful accommodation into the heart of the country alongside the original National Park. We will be working with PEAK, the local authorities and a leading academic institution as well as our partner UKIHMA to realise this.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The PEAK Resort offers an incredible opportunity for Chesterfield. It will further cement the area as a destination for tourists from both across the UK and the rest of the world, which in turn will create more good-quality jobs in our communities, provide opportunities for our businesses and will stimulate economic growth across the borough.

“The health and wellness centre will be a world class facility, which will specialise in rehabilitation as well as individual health and wellness programmes. Facilities like this are available internationally but this will be a first for the UK. This unique offer will further help ensure that this development receives the status and attention it merits.”

PEAK is an all year leisure, education, wellness and entertainment destination set in 300 acres of reclaimed parkland on the edge of the Peak District National Park and Chesterfield.

Find out more about the development and the investment opportunities available at the site.

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

University and councils team up to help Derbyshire firms create ‘net zero’ homes

23rd September 2020

The University of Derby is joining local partners from across Derbyshire next month to spearhead the ‘green recovery’ by making homes in the county more energy efficient.

Methods and approaches to ‘retrofit’ energy efficiency features in houses across Derbyshire will be the focus of an online Low Carbon Homes conference running over three mornings from 6-8 October, which is being supported by the University alongside Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council and South Derbyshire District Council.

The free conference is aimed at local housing associations, developers, suppliers, installers, house builders and community organisations in the D2N2 region.

The event follows the government’s recent pledge of £50 million for local councils to carry out retrofitting work, as well as a list of recommendations made by the UK Citizen’s Assembly for Climate Change for finding local solutions to the challenge.

The goal is to make Derbyshire a ‘net zero’ area in terms of its carbon emissions ahead of the government’s 2050 target.

Dr Fred Paterson, Associate Professor for Sustainable Business at the University’s Business School, will chair the conference.

He said: “As a University with a strong civic commitment to our city and county, we are very pleased to be working closely with our local authority partners to respond to the climate emergency.

“To create a net-zero Derbyshire by 2050, we need to radically shift the energy efficiency of our homes. Domestic buildings in Derbyshire are responsible for 27% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the county and 9,000 homes need ‘deep retrofitting’ every year for the next three decades.

“That’s 179 homes per week for the next 30 years, so the time for action is now.

“This event provides an invaluable springboard for stakeholders across the region to take action on this important climate change solution.”

The event will focus on best practice in housing energy efficiency retrofit from around the country, looking at benefits, available technology and funding, skills and training, and community engagement.

Dr Paterson added: “This online housing retrofit conference aims to build better understanding of the local ‘net zero’ challenge and our responsibilities for action.

“It will create a platform for genuine collaboration that will support citizens, construction firms, architects, planners, housing associations, educators and public servants to ensure Derbyshire is a thriving, healthy and sustainable place to live in the second half of this century.”

To book a place at the conference, visit https://www.lowcarbonhomes.uk/events/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

Post-16 virtual careers fair launched to support Chesterfield and North Derbyshire recruitment during Covid crisis

23rd September 2020

An innovative online careers and employability platform, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, has been launched to help employers reach prospective apprentices in a virtual careers fair amidst the Covid-19 crisis.

The My Future platform aims to plug the careers information gap which has been left by Covid-19 by providing careers information to Year 11 and 13 young people.

It is completely free for young people to use. And showcases up to 100 businesses, education and training providers across 10 zones in a virtual careers fair setting. As well as providing information about the business, apprentice positions with the company are also advertised.

My Future has been developed by Chesterfield Borough Council, in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and the D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub.

It is designed to provide support for young people facing uncertainty in their future as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The platform aims to give young people across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire access to the widest range of high-quality careers advice, employment support, skills and educational programmes.

Chesterfield-based Oasis Studio has designed the platform using innovative 360expo software.

The platform was launched to the business community by Destination Chesterfield at a virtual breakfast event on 23 September 2020.

Speaking at the event, Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The development of My Future has led to a truly innovative digital platform providing access to a wide range of careers advice, employment support, apprenticeships, skills and training programmes, all under one virtual roof. I hope that My Future will help young people to build the career and future that they want, so that we can continue to build a thriving borough together.”

Ahead of its launch to employers, careers leaders in the D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub, which works with 21 schools and colleges within Chesterfield and North Derbyshire, has already reached out to all Year 11 and Year 13 school leavers encouraging them to access the My Future platform.

On GCSE results day more than 150 young people logged on to the platform and spent on average 207 minutes exploring the virtual careers fair.

James Brand, D2N2 LEP board member and Managing Director of United Cast Bar, a Chesterfield-based business which is featured in the engineering and manufacturing zone on the platform, said: “My Future is a fantastic platform which we were delighted to get involved with. It’s a great opportunity for businesses to reach out to young people during these challenging times. The platform will offer real support and guidance to school leavers who have been unable to access the careers information they would normally have had to help them make informed decisions about their future.”

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager, explained: “Everyone has worked tremendously hard to get the platform up and running. We have been overwhelmed by the support and involvement of businesses and training providers to make My Future happen and support local school leavers during this challenging time.”

D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub Lead Dan Heffernan said: “In these challenging times, it’s more important than ever to ensure our young people are given high quality and relevant transitions support. My Future will ensure that we continue to inspire our future workforce, give them advice on their future career prospects, and showcase the types of next steps that are available.

“On behalf of D2N2 LEP I want to thank all of the organisations that have contributed to this project so far, all of whom are helping to transform the skills and employability agenda across North Derbyshire.”

Young people can take control of their future by visiting My Future and learning about the many opportunities available to them at www.myfuture.org.uk.

Employers who wish to have their business featured on the My Future platform should contact Emily Williams Emily.williams@chesterfield.gov.uk .

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, Leisure

Bridge Help makes the move to new offices

23rd September 2020

A Chesterfield business has taken an exciting step forward in its growth ambitions.

Short term financing company Bridge Help has secured new office premises in Chesterfield.

The company has taken over the office suite of Dales and Peaks Estate Agents on Old Brick Works Lane, making the move from Bridge House on Hady Hill, Chesterfield. Dales and Peaks has relocated to 131 Chatsworth Road.

Bridge Help has experienced rapid growth since establishing its headquarters in Chesterfield at the start of the year. It has made a number of new appointments in 2020. Most recently, the company welcomed David Fielding to the team as an underwriter.

The move to larger premises enables Bridge Help to accommodate its growing team while observing social distancing measures in the office.

Chris Sellars, Chief Executive of Bridge Help explained: “Like many businesses right now, our staff are splitting their time between home and office working. However, increasing business, staff numbers and the COVID-crisis has led us to acquire larger premises. It’s a very good move for the business, giving us the space to expand the team further and accommodate social distancing and ensure all team members are safe.”

Despite the pandemic, Bridge Help is seeing no slow down of deals and has used video conference technology during the crisis to complete a number of loan applications, including a £1.2million refinance deal for a development site in Sheffield’s up and coming Kelham Island area.

As well as plans to make further appointments, the company is also shortly to launch its new co-funding proposition.

Chris added: “I am very excited for the future of Bridge Help. The current financial climate has shown a very real need for alternative lenders other than high street banks.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home

Construction to start on office accommodation at Chesterfield Waterside

21st September 2020

Construction of the seven-storey office building in the Basin Square neighbourhood of the £340million Chesterfield Waterside scheme is due to start in October.

Chesterfield Borough Council has secured a forward funding agreement with the developer, Chesterfield Waterside Ltd, as a key strategic investment opportunity for the town.

Funding for the delivery of the high-quality office building, which already has planning consent in place, was approved as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s ambitious growth strategy. The investment is designed to kick-start the town’s economic recovery from Covid-19 and will spearhead major developments around the train station as part of the council’s HS2 Station Masterplan.

Tenants have already been secured for some of the Grade A office accommodation, enabling the developers to bring forward construction of the circa 35,000ft² building, which is being overseen by project delivery partner, Bolsterstone Group Plc.

Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group Plc, said: “Chesterfield Waterside continues apace. Since receiving planning approval for the office accommodation last year, I am delighted that we have been able to secure tenants and bring forward the delivery of high-quality office accommodation for Chesterfield in conjunction with Chesterfield Borough Council.

“It is an exciting time for Chesterfield Waterside with Avant Homes also building out new homes in the Waterside Quarter neighbourhood. Despite the pandemic, 2020 will be a formative year for the scheme with a significant amount of construction activity planned and more investment proposals in the pipeline, benefitting the local economy.”

The new office building, known as No.1 Waterside Place, will provide office accommodation of the highest specification. It represents the first step in delivering the commercial element of Chesterfield Waterside’s Basin Square neighbourhood.

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing forward this state-of-the-art office building with Chesterfield Waterside Ltd, which will deliver supply chain opportunities for local companies during the construction phase and new jobs for local people with the companies that will be taking space at No.1 Waterside Place.

“These are uncertain times, but we must not stand still. We must continue to invest in this and other growth projects if we are to meet the council’s objectives of making Chesterfield a thriving borough and improve the quality of people’s lives. No.1 Waterside Place is just the start of what we believe will be a very special journey for the people of this great town and borough.”

Cllr Tricia Gilby and Peter Swallow

Construction of the offices is expected to be completed in August 2021. Britcon (UK) Ltd, a leading Civil Engineering, Building and Steel Frame Solutions company, has been appointed as the main contractor to construct the office building.

As part of the contract with Chesterfield Borough Council, Britcon will utilise local labour and local contractors across the whole build process and will also be working closely with Chesterfield College to provide opportunities for their students.

No.1 Waterside Place will boast two passenger lifts, raised access flooring, air conditioning, LED lighting, a high-quality entrance foyer, showers and cycle parking facilities onsite.

Chesterfield-based accountancy firm BHP Chartered Accountants, a Sunday Times Top 100 Employer, will occupy an entire floor within the building. The firm will be relocating its Chesterfield office to No.1 Waterside Place to benefit from the high-quality specification and unparalleled location at Chesterfield Waterside.

Planning approval for the office building, which was designed by Bond Bryan Architects, was granted by Chesterfield Borough Council last year bringing forward commercial negotiations with BHP alongside other tenants who are also in advanced discussions.

As well as office accommodation, the building also offers ground floor retail space and Chesterfield Waterside Ltd. is already in discussions with a number of potential occupiers.

The new large-plate office accommodation is designed to complement the start-up and incubator units at Chesterfield Borough Council’s Enterprise Centre scheme, which is currently under construction at Saltergate.

It is also anticipated that the new offices will be highly sought after by organisations looking to move out of larger cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham and establish regional hubs around mainline train stations in an effort to COVID-19 proof their operations.

Basin Square is the first commercial element of Chesterfield Waterside. When complete, the £75m Basin Square neighbourhood will also see the delivery of 320 Built-to-Rent apartments, a hotel and multi-storey car park, all sited around a high quality public realm area overlooking the already constructed canal basin.

This latest step forward for the project follows the announcement that Avant Homes has opened the showhomes at the Waterside Quarter neighbourhood where it is building 174 two, three, and four-bedroom homes. Avant reports strong interest in the development and has already taken a number of reservations.

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.

FHP Property Consultants and Knight Frank have been appointed as letting agents for the office space at Chesterfield Waterside.

For further information about Chesterfield Waterside, click here.

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

DBCP’s Ashgate Hospicecare project wins at LABC East Midlands Building Excellence Awards

17th September 2020

Ashgate Hospicecare’s project to create nine new private bedrooms was named as the Best Small Commercial Project at the virtual LABC East Midlands Building Excellence Awards 2020.

Ashgate Hospicecare now goes through the national LABC Awards, joining winners from across 13 regions to claim the overall winner title.

Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP) nominated Ashgate Hospicecare for the award following its work with a number of other local businesses and suppliers to deliver the £1 million project to create the private rooms out of multiple bed bays.

The project was made possible and affordable for Ashgate Hospicecare by a number of suppliers, like DBCP, giving their services and materials either free of charge or choosing to forgo any profits.

Hayley Wardle, Director of Quality and Patient Care at Ashgate Hospicecare, said: “We are delighted to have won this award for what has been such an important project for our patients and their loved ones.”

“Previously we were providing care to some patients in three-bedded bays which hadn’t really changed for 30 years. The bays were very old fashioned and didn’t give patients the privacy and dignity they deserve.”

“The new rooms mean our patients can now talk in privacy without the worry of being overheard. Families are able to create special, precious memories without fear of disturbing other patients. Our visitors can stay with their loved one for as long as they need after they die. The rooms also give them that most precious thing – the time they need to say goodbye and express their grief freely in a private space.”

David Pratt, DBCP Building Control Manager added: “To see the Ashgate Hospicecare project take home the award for Best Small Commercial Project was brilliant. That project meant such a lot to our team and all the partners we worked closely with during its construction.”

Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP) and Ashgate Hospicecare support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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

Chesters to open second restaurant at Markham Vale

11th September 2020

The owners of Chester’s Fish & Chips Restaurant, located on Sheffield Road in Chesterfield, have now revealed their plans for a second location.

The new premises will be located on the Markham Vale services site at Junction 29A of the M1, opposite McDonalds and adjacent to Starbucks.

The new investment will cost over £1 million and will create over 30 local jobs.

Set to open in spring 2021, the new venue will offer a seaside-themed restaurant and a takeaway counter as well as a separate drive-through lane.

The announcement comes after a very busy period for the team thanks to the Government’s recent Eat Out to Help Out scheme. On their busiest day, the restaurant had to turn away over 196 bookings and in just one day served 756 people.

Thousands of customers visited throughout August, and the owners have decided to extend the scheme, offering 20% of bills, including alcohol, every Monday to Thursday throughout September.

Image courtesy of Chesters

Chris Ioannides, Owner of Chesters, said: “We are excited to announce the opening of a second restaurant for Chesters, which will serve all our best known dishes. We will continue to support the local community and charities like we always strive to and give back something to Chesterfield and the suurounding areas.”

He added “We’d like to thank all our loyal customers for their support and we look forward to meeting new customers at our new Markham Vale location!”

Competition

To celebrate the announcement, Destination Chesterfield has teamed up with Chesters to offer a £20 voucher to one lucky winner! Click here to enter the draw.

Markham Vale services

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

Take up for industrial and logistics premises increases across East Midlands

10th September 2020

Take up for industrial and logistics space across the East Midlands increased markedly in the first half of 2020, with 7% more activity recorded than the same period in 2019, according to the latest market statistics.

The region was ranked third nationally for the period, behind Yorkshire and the South East, with over 4.25 million sq. ft transacted in the East Midlands in just six months, according to data compiled by EGI Radius Data Exchange, which canvasses deal information from the regions key agents.

Commercial Property Partners (CPP) Director Stuart Waite commented: “The sector has proven to be resilient during the pandemic with growth in e-commerce the driving force behind strong levels of take up in the sector.”

“The outlook remains positive moving forward and on the back of this, we are continuing to see strong developer interest in well positioned sites across the region, which is ultimately still starved of good quality warehouse and industrial units across all size ranges.”

The strong performance of the East Midlands region was underpinned with numerous notable deals including Amazon, Games Workshops, Bleckmann and Aldi.

CPP Director Sean Bremner commented: “There continues to be great demand for high quality, modern space, and therefore the take-up has been strong.”

“Increasingly, occupier demand is driven by the growth in online retail. The majority of current leasing and demand activity is created by businesses who are either directly involved in online retail or linked to it such as parcel delivery operators or manufacturers who now sell their product online.”

Click here to find out more about available commercial space in Chesterfield, click here.

Please click here to search the latest list of current available properties from Chesterfield Borough Council.

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

Local company completes free repairs at Chesterfield community hub

9th September 2020

After water was discovered leaking into the building of Chesterfield’s Monkey Park Community Hub, a local company have completed the repair works for free.

The volunteer team at Monkey Park approached local business DMG Asbestos Management for a quotation to remove the cause of the leak, an asbestos cement flue pipe, and were delighted when they offered to do the job free of charge.

The not-for-profit organisation is located in Brampton and includes a café, co-work space, bike workshop, space hire and hosts community events.

Three workers from DMG Asbestos Management came on one of the hottest days of the year and erected a scaffolding tower in order to lower the problem chimney safely off the roof.

Local resident and director of Monkey Park, Helen Symons, said: “We were worried about the chimney but thank goodness DMG removed all that stress. I could see them working from my garden. They were efficient, hard-working and highly professional. They made me remember that there are good people out there willing to go the extra mile for their local community.”

Aaron Goodwin of DMG said: “We like to try and give something back to our town and Monkey Park is a great cause in the local community.”

The community hub and the café are currently closed and will be re-opening again in late September. The bike workshops & office co-working space are still open however.

Ahead of the re-opening, the Monkey Park Hub is having building work done, including the fitting of an accessible toilet in the café.

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

Chesterfield estate benefits from major facelift

8th September 2020

A £4.4m regeneration project to improve the look and feel of a housing estate in Grangewood, Chesterfield, is now complete.

Properties on the Grangewood estate have benefitted from a major facelift as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to providing quality affordable housing across the borough and create modern, attractive places for people to live.

As part of the project Birchwood Court, Grangewood Court, Longcroft Court, Thorntree Court and Stockwell Court have all undergone extensive internal and external improvements. This included fully redecorating the communal areas including the upgrade of lighting and electrical installations to make the areas lighter and brighter for residents, fitting new secure entrance doors to all blocks, and the installation of new fire rated doors to each individual flat.

The external render and roof coverings on each block of flats have also been replaced and concrete repairs have been carried out on communal stairwells to ensure the safety of all residents and visitors.

In response to the climate emergency that was declared last July, the council is committed to ensuring that its existing housing stock is as energy efficient as possible. As part of this commitment, the windows and insulation in each property and all communal areas have also been upgraded to improve the thermal efficiency of the homes.

Landscaping works have been completed across the whole estate with existing footpaths being renewed to help improve access around the estate and to each property. Improvements have also been made to street lighting to help create a brighter space for residents and visitors.

Fencing has been installed to enclose each of the outside communal areas to ensure that local families have an outdoor space that they can enjoy safely.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “We’re really pleased that the works on the Grangewood estate are complete. A key part of our housing strategy is to ensure that our homes are of excellent quality and that we create attractive, modern places that people to choose to live and we feel that this has been achieved through this project as it has improved the whole look and feel of the estate.

“Before works started, we consulted with our tenants and their feedback has been taken in to account to ensure that homes in the area meet their expectations and housing needs.”

Despite the challenges following the outbreak of Covid-19, the council’s main contractor, Fortem Solutions Ltd. has continued to work safely on site to ensure that the project could be delivered on time.

James Taylor, Contracts Manager at Fortem, said: “We are tremendously proud of this project, it has truly been a collaborative effort by all parties to make a significant improvement to the area.

“As part of our commitment to inspiring a legacy in the areas we work, we have been overwhelmed with community projects local to Grangewood and have been delighted to support these whilst delivering works.

“Despite the disruption of Covid-19, the scheme has been delivered on time due to the huge efforts of our site team and supply chain partners, whilst ensuring safety remained an absolute priority. We are confident that the long-term benefits of these improvements will continue to be felt by the residents for years to come.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home