Property and Construction

Housebuilder announces launch of 150 new homes in Brimington

A new development in Brimington is continuing to progress, with show homes now available to view on the site which will bring 150 houses to the area.

Construction of the houses on the Brimington Heights site is being carried out by Bovis Homes (part of Vistry Yorkshire), and comprises of 150 three, four and five-bedroom homes.

It provides options for those stepping onto the property ladder for the first time, growing young families, as well as those looking for a place to downsize after their children have flown the nest.

As part of local authority planning conditions for the development, Bovis Homes injected just over £100,000 into the local community, including £57,060 to NHS North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

The development also includes a number of ecological enhancements, such as a native hedgerow that has been planted along the northern boundary of the site, providing a landscaping buffer as well as a feeding corridor for wildlife.

Offering the best of both worlds, Brimington Heights is perfectly positioned just minutes away from the heart of Chesterfield, and on the edge of the Peak District National Park. For those looking to venture a little further afield in any direction, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield are easily accessible by road or rail.

The developer launched the new homes by inviting viewers onto the site for a spooky family fun day to coincide with Halloween.

All weekend (29-30th October), Halloween crafts, face painting, pumpkin carving and even a ‘trick or treat’ treasure hunt were on offer for kids of all ages. Adults enjoyed a glass of fizz on arrival and a selection of nibbles as they took an exclusive peak at the show homes on site.

The Brimington Heights sales team were on hand throughout the event, to talk through new price releases for the properties on offer, as they helped a range of homebuyers understand how they could own a new home on the development.

Living in Chesterfield and the surrounding area is affordable and offers something for everyone. Find out more about what the town has to offer at: Living in Chesterfield | Destination Chesterfield

To find out more about major developments and regeneration currently taking place across the town, go to: Chesterfield Developments | Destination Chesterfield

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‘Chesterfield’s development is no coincidence and can continue,’ concludes industry panel

Chesterfield has a unique offering and continued collaboration between the public and private sectors is critical in ensuring growth does not stop, according to a panel of industry experts.

Speaking at national contractor Willmott Dixon’s second ‘Towns of the Future’ roundtable – hosted at Tapton Park Innovation Centre – the 10-person panel discussed topics including the current building stock, skills, talent retention and investment.

It was agreed that identifying challenges in regeneration projects and collaborative working by the public and private sector can unlock potential hurdles.

The panel agreed conversations taking place are very encouraging – something, which is especially important at a time when regeneration projects amounting to a value of more than £1 billion are in progress.

Jerry Major, regional framework manager at Willmott Dixon, said: “Chesterfield has great potential and, because local authorities now understand what the private sector can offer more than ever before, the opportunity to make the most of different areas and create mixed-use developments is being unlocked.

“It’s vital that businesses in Chesterfield, both big and small, play an active role in promoting the careers available here and the opportunity to lead a fulfilling lifestyle. While we have been involved in projects in Chesterfield in the past, we understand the importance of maintaining our relationship with the stakeholders here and offering an advisory role to the public sector organisations in need of regeneration expertise.”

As part of the discussion, there were several references to Chesterfield Waterside and the Staveley Town Deal, though questions centred around what went right and wrong for Chesterfield in 2022, how can more attention be generated on what is happening in Chesterfield and what the focus of growth should be in Chesterfield over the next 10 years.

Dominic Stevens, manager at Destination Chesterfield, said: “Chesterfield has a clear growth plan, place story and sense of identity. The vision for Chesterfield has been in place now for more than a decade and we continue to see the positive results of this plan.”

“Looking forward to the next 10 years, it was excellent to hear people from different areas of industry agree on the importance of meeting the needs and desires of the next generation. We must ensure that development and regeneration lead to inclusive sustainable growth and Chesterfield continues to be a great place to live, work, visit and invest.”

Ivan Fomin, managing director at MSE Hiller and Chair of Staveley Town Deal said: “Effective collaboration can ensure that the potential benefits of the many regeneration sites are maximised.

“The public and private sector working together ensures developments keep moving forward while different sources of funding are available to gain.

“More relationships need to be formed so that it is not a small market competing for work, because there is so much potential here that we must all help to realise.”

Building on the success of Willmott Dixon’s two roundtables in Chesterfield this year, the national contractor looks to continue engagement with a range of stakeholders.

The panel was chaired by Liz Cartwright (Cartwright Communications) and featured Jerry Major (Willmott Dixon), Adam Rodgers (Marketing Derby), Ivan Fomin (MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield), Peter Swallow (Destination Chesterfield), Dominic Stevens (Destination Chesterfield), Duncan Hogg (Bond Bryan), David Kemp (DLP Planning) and Amy Revell (We Are Spaces).

Wilmott Dixon, MSE Hiller, DLP Planning and We Are Spaces 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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Application submitted for new industrial and warehouse space at Markham Vale

Henry Boot Developments has announced it has submitted planning to create more industrial and warehouse spaces at one of the area’s flagship regeneration schemes, Markham Vale.

The plans propose a further 107,250 sq. ft. of industrial and warehouse space across four buildings, adding to the existing portfolio of properties, which has seen the likes of Great Bear, Daher Aerospace, Gist and many other companies locate their operations at the site.

Markham Vale is a 200-acre site which HBD is delivering in a joint venture with Derbyshire County Council. It is one of the region’s flagship industrial schemes, attracting new businesses and creating thousands of new jobs.

Speaking of the latest application, Development Surveyor at HBD, Richard Hinds said: “It is great to get plans underway for this next stage of development at Markham Vale.

“It’s a very successful industrial and logistics location, which means demand has remained high for new space – our robust financial backing and our strong track record for delivery means that we are able to continue progressing new schemes throughout the more challenging periods for the economy, injecting much-needed Grade A space into the market.”

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration Councillor Tony King added: “Plans for four new buildings at Markham Vale is a strong signal from our property partners, HBD that the site will continue to attract a wide range of businesses. Markham Vale plays a key role in helping to deliver on our commitment to building a strong, diverse, and green economy by creating jobs for local people and attracting local, national, and international businesses.”

Find out more about Markham Vale on our developments page at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/markham-vale/

Henry Boot Developments 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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Luxury Derbyshire housebuilder announces new eco development in Chesterfield

Woodall Homes has announced a gated development of nine luxury homes in Chesterfield.

Nine two and three-bedroom detached bungalows will be available at the development on Newbold Road, boasting fully-fitted kitchens, luxury bathroom suites, landscaped gardens and all powered by Wondrwall, a world-leading intelligent home automation and heating system coupled with renewable energy generating solar panels and battery storage.

As well as allowing users to control all aspects of the homes heating, lighting and security through the Wondrwall app, this complete home energy management system also utilises artificial intelligence and self-learning technology to adapt to the occupant’s daily routine and preferences. Automatically minimising energy bills and the environmental impact of the home by reducing demand and only using the energy that is required at its lowest possible cost and carbon intensity.

David Wood, Managing Director at Woodall Homes, said: “We are delighted to announce our new development, The Shrubberies, complete with Wondrwall technology in each home.

“Sustainability should be at the forefront of the build process for every developer, and we are proud to deliver an eco-development of this standard in Chesterfield.”

To find out more about homes at The Shrubberies, head to their website: https://www.woodallhomes.co.uk/developments/the-shrubberies/.

Woodall Homes’ Planning Director, Darren Abbott (pictured top right) recently spoke about how housing developments are attracting an influx of young families to live and work in Chesterfield. Find out more about what was discussed at the Summit back in September: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/2022/10/new-investment-sites-set-to-open-up-across-chesterfield/

Whether it’s a town or village experience, contemporary or traditional housing, buying or renting, living in Chesterfield and the surrounding area is affordable and offers something for everyone. Find out more about living in Chesterfield here.

Woodall Homes 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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Whittam Cox retains place in UK’s top 50 architects list

Chesterfield’s Whittam Cox Architects has secured a place in the Top 50 UK Architects and Top 150 UK Consultants rankings for the seventh consecutive year.

Over 300 firms took part in the annual consultant survey by leading industry publication ‘Building Magazine’. The publication has ranked the practice as 80 out of all the firms who made the top 150, which includes Architects, Surveyors, Project Managers, and Engineers.

The firm has also secured a spot at number 40 in the UK’s Top Architects, reinforcing the fact that Whittam Cox Architects is one of UK’s largest practices, servicing clients and projects nationwide.

Whilst the report raises concerns about key issues such as the impact of Brexit, Ukraine and recruitment and what this could mean for the industry, the company remains positive as it continues to work with high profile clients on significant urban residential schemes, particularly Build-to-Rent projects across the UK as well as continued growth with retail frameworks and in the logistics sector.

Commenting on the milestone Board Director Nick Riley said: “We are delighted to be recognised again by Building for the seventh consecutive year; we see this as an endorsement of our employees’ commitment to delivering tangible value and the very best outcomes for our clients.

Looking ahead we know we can’t be complacent; it’s essential we remain progressive by being ambitious, agile and responsive through continued times of political and market uncertainty.”

Whittam Cox Architects is also involved with Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Group, which brings together businesses working across the sector in our town.

Board Director Andy Dabbs currently chairs the group, working alongside Destination Chesterfield to host networking events, forums and drive forward further investment in the area.

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

Whittam Cox Architect of the Year

 

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Chesterfield’s Custom Solar wins national award for innovative project

Custom Solar has recently been awarded ‘Commercial Solar Project of the Year’ at this year’s Solar and Storage LIVE, for its innovative work at Portsmouth International Ports.

The Solar PV Project, in partnership with Portsmouth City Council involved designing and developing a Solar PV carport canopy system, a 1.2Mw battery storage solution and a 600kWp rooftop solar system.

This project was unique due to challenges faced at foundation and surveying. Operations teams encountered a plague burial site on the planned locations for the carport canopies. After archeologists surveyed the site, the team were instructed to widen the site and ensure that the structures were less than 1m deep. Considering this, the foundations had to be redesigned completely by Customs design engineers to revert to a concrete pad foundation of 3m x 3m per post fixing.

This makes the 2,660 solar panel installation a landmark moment, worthy of its award, as it is one of the first carport canopies to sit at 5 meters high with only 1-meter depth for fixings. Portsmouth International Ports are also the first UK port to have solar canopies, which will contribute to generating 35% of the site’s power.

Custom Solar’s CEO, Gary Sucharewycz, Said: “We are delighted to have won the award for Commercial Solar and Storage project of the year. To have been recognised at the main industry awards for such a prestige project that the team have developed from concept, is a great reward for everyone involved.

“We have worked with a fantastic client in Portsmouth City Council to have successfully delivered the project through many challenges. We see this as a great case study for how solar and storage can be deployed in major operational environments, with solar car port canopy’s set to play a big role in clients generating their own power and assisting their Net zero ambitions to be realised.”

Cabinet member for Climate Change and Environment at Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Kimberly Barrett, said: “It is the council’s priority to support clean growth. I’m delighted that we’ve met our target to begin generating clean energy at the port by the end of 2022, and when fully operational, it will reduce annual emissions by 239 tonnes at this busy site. We’re committed to take positive action to tackle climate change, and this cut in emissions will boost our ambitions to reduce carbon emissions across the city to net-zero by 2030″.

Custom Solar LTD designs, develops, installs, and maintains large scale infrastructure storage and solar systems for clientele including commercial and public sector institutions across the UK. The firm’s track record of tailoring projects for large-scale commercial clients relies on our creativity, our expertise in engineering, and an industry-leading attitude to health & safety.

The company 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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Award-winning Chesterfield entrepreneur to unveil new ‘Business Lounge,’ aiming to boost business growth

Business growth and support company, Great2, is hosting a launch event on Tuesday 15th November 2022, 4-6pm to unveil a new Business Lounge at their coworking space Great2Work in Chesterfield.

The new lounge at Hayfield House (on Devonshire Street, off Holywell Street) is thought to be the first of its kind in the area.

The event will hear speakers including Dom Stevens of Destination Chesterfield introducing the space, Beverley Beck (a member of the coworking space and supporter of the business) and Andy Ball CEO of Great2 who will explain the ethos behind Great2 and why he is so passionate about helping local businesses to grow.

There will also be time to network with local businesspeople over free drinks and nibbles. There will be a raffle with prizes including a month of free hot-desking at the coworking space, a free business lounge membership for a month, a bottle of Prosecco plus other great prizes. Great2Work’s Front of House, Hannah Finney, will also be conducting tours of the building including the coworking space, training rooms and meeting rooms so that attendees can see how we are encouraging businesses into the town.

The Business Lounge was developed to attract freelancers, micro and small businesses to the town centre. Giving them a comfortable place to go for informal meetings with colleagues or clients and a place to work from in between meetings. With a monthly membership, you can come and go as you please (no need to book). WiFi is included and there’s an ‘honesty box’ for refreshments.

Andy Ball, CEO of Great2 commented: “My vision for Great2 is to become the ‘go-to’ partner for local businesses who want to grow sustainably and make a difference. Our new business lounge is a first for Chesterfield and our aim is to give local businesspeople a professional, flexible and comfortable place to work from – keeping businesses in the town and using town centre facilities. The business lounge alongside our coworking space and business support services allows Great2 to provide a full suite of tools to help local businesses grow.”

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager said: “I look forward to updating on the regeneration of Chesterfield at the Great2Work Open House Event.  Great 2 are one of many independent companies that have decided to Invest in Chesterfield over the past couple of years and make the town their home.”

If you’d like to come along to the event please email marketing@great2.co.uk

Find out more about Great2Work here

To find out more about the range of great office spaces available across Chesterfield, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/office/

Great2 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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Property & Construction group praises ongoing collaboration across Chesterfield

Members of Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Group have praised the ongoing collaboration between private and public sector organisations across the town, which is helping to drive forward several landmark regeneration schemes in the area.

The Chesterfield Investment Summit was delivered to packed room at the Casa Hotel on 28th September 2022. At the summit, the town’s property and construction sector and a handful Chesterfield Champions were invited to a lunch event, which enabled further networking and an opportunity to ask questions to Chesterfield Borough Council’s leader, Tricia Gilby and Chief Executive, Huw Bowen.

After the event, Cllr Tricia Gilby commented: “Chesterfield is very resilient and has consistently come out of national crises stronger than it went into them. In the last recession we established Destination Chesterfield, and this has reaped rewards. We also resolved as a council and with all our partners, to come out of the pandemic fighting and as a result a number of developments came out of the ground, including One Waterside Place and the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre.

“Chesterfield Brough Council and our partners will now work together with inward investors to ensure the next five years are as good as, if not better, than the last five years.”

Read the full round-up of the event here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/2022/10/new-investment-sites-set-to-open-up-across-chesterfield/

The event left attendees impressed with the range of potential investment opportunities opening up across the town, along with optimism for the continuation of strong public/private partnership working across the sector to grow the town’s economy.

Jim Lomas, Director at DLP Planning Ltd:

“It was so pleasing to see such a large turnout for the Investment Summit. There is clearly a great deal of investor interest and enthusiasm from both within and outside the local area. Given our previous and current experience of assisting with the planning process, there is a willingness by the Council to help with business development, housing delivery and infrastructure enhancements, all of which will lead to longer term prosperity and hopefully a greener and more sustainable environment.

“Housing developers in particular are currently delivering the mix and range of property types which are meeting demand and addressing needs. It is clear that many adjoining Local Authority areas outside of Chesterfield are failing to deliver their housing needs and consequently the town is meeting not only its own local needs, but also attracting those from the wider area. The positive consequences for Chesterfield are significant, leading to greater spending power in the local economy, enhanced service provision, regeneration of urban areas and creating a vibrant community, something which can only be welcomed.”

Sarah Wills, Associate Director at Nineteen47 Ltd:

“It was great to be in the room for these discussions. I Really enjoyed hearing about priority projects and collaboration across sectors. It was lovely to hear how integral the Council see the private sector in terms of profile and delivery in the Chesterfield Borough, and we are proud to be a continued part of this conversation.”

Kriston Harvey, Director at Rodgers Leask:

“I think one of the biggest highlights would have to be the fact that following on from previous summits, where it has been great to hear about pipeline projects, we are now able to see these projects coming out of the ground and in some cases complete! Both the Enterprise Centre and One Waterside Place are fantastic examples of this and can hopefully be part of the catalyst to drive further regeneration and development.

“Having quality office space locally is clearly a benefit to the town also. This will help to retain businesses within Chesterfield and strengthen the local economy. It was also really good to hear that both the University of Derby and Chesterfield College have big plans – investing in the future generation is critical and it is great to see that there will be even more opportunities for people to stay in Chesterfield and develop new skills.”

Tony Buck, Associate Director at Oasis Studio:

“I always enjoy attending the Chesterfield Investment summit. It was great to see a full house of delegates in attendance, reflective of peoples’ interest in the future of the town. A range of engaging speakers provided a concise summary of all the present and future developments in the pipeline including good conversation around the recently completed office developments at the Waterside and Northern Gateway schemes.  Looking ahead, it appears a number of regeneration projects as part of the Staveley Masterplan are taking shape, adding the plethora of opportunity for local business like ourselves.”

Find out more about ongoing development taking place in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/developments/

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Mining memorial at Markham Vale reaches completion

A moving tribute to miners who died in 3 disasters at a Derbyshire colliery has been completed 10 years after it was commissioned.

The final 13 life-size steel figures have been unveiled as part of the Walking Together Mining Memorial, taking the total number of statues to commemorate those tragically killed at Markham Colliery to 106 – one for each man who died in the disasters.

Originally commissioned in 2012, the figures form a trail which stretches between the village of Duckmanton, near Chesterfield, to Markham Vale, close to where the former pithead of Markham Colliery once stood.

Markham Vale is the council’s flagship regeneration site reclaimed and developed in partnership with HBD (formally known as Henry Boot Developments) to create new jobs and attract investment into the area.

The trail symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and back home again and each figure carries a tag with the name of one of the miners, along with their age and job role.

Cheshire-based Artist Stephen Broadbent designed the memorial supported by Markham Vale Heritage Group which researched the lives of the miners who were commemorated.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said: “I feel honoured to have been part of this fantastic project and it’s great to see it finally completed.

“It’s incredibly important that we don’t forget the site’s mining history, the challenging jobs the pit workers had and the sacrifices they made.

“This permanent memorial is a place where the miner’s community spirit can be remembered and where families, friends and future generations can come together to pay tribute.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in the project including the local community, the families and friends of the miners who tragically lost their lives and the sponsors who have helped make this project possible.

“I would also like to thank the artist Stephen Broadbent, fabricator at CB Arts, the team at Beam and the Markham Vale Heritage Group for all their fantastic work.”

 

The first disaster commemorated by the memorial was an underground explosion on 21 January 1937 which claimed the lives of 9 men. This was followed by a second explosion a year later in 1938 when 79 miners lost their lives and 40 were seriously injured.

The final disaster occurred 35 years later when the mechanical brake on a lift carrying miners to the coalface failed, killing 18 miners and seriously injuring 11 others on 30 July, 1973.

The final 13 figures have been dedicated to:

  1. David Bann, 54, Contractor
  2. Alfred Garland, 52, Timber Drawer
  3. Robert Gregson, 36, Contractor
  4. John William Hadley, 31, Contractor
  5. Joseph Hibbard, 51, Timber Drawer
  6. Joseph Lilley, 30, Road Repairer
  7. Felix Linathan, 48, Contractor
  8. Mark Richards, 31, Ripper
  9. Samuel Edward Salt, 41, Deputy
  10. Clarence Silcock, 42, Ripper
  11. Fred Taylor, 53, Contractor
  12. Redvers Baden Whitehead, 37, Shot-firer
  13. Matthew Williams, 36, Contractor

A grant of £17,830 has been awarded by Valencia Communities Fund through the Landfill Communities Fund to support and install 8 out of the 13 remaining figures.

Great Bear Distribution Limited sponsored three figures, while a further grant of £38,950 was awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which distributes funding raised by National Lottery players. The further grant will cover the cost of 1 figure and fund several activities, including engagement workshops with the local community, a commemorative publication, heritage walking tours of the site and more.

For more information about the memorial visit The Markham Story Mine website. The Story Mine project is supported by The Heritage Lottery Fund and ourselves to unearth and share stories from Markham Colliery.

Anyone interested in joining the volunteers at Markham Vale Heritage Group can email contact@beam.uk.net

Markham miners memorial unveiling marks halfway point

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Council completes modernisation of dozens of properties

Forty one council homes have now been refurbished in Chesterfield – creating brighter, more easily accessible spaces designed to help residents continue to live independently.

Properties at Mallard Court and Leander Court in Staveley are the latest and final independent living flats to undergo a complete modernisation – and mark the completion of a £3.8m refurbishment scheme by Chesterfield Borough Council.

The overall appearance of the flats has been carefully crafted to create a modern and fresh look, and support the council’s vision of creating a greater sense of community by transforming the way it refurbishes homes.

The refurbishment of these properties has seen each home benefit from a newly renovated kitchen and lounge area, whilst each bathroom has been converted into a wet room with a level access shower. This means that homes better meet the needs of residents and allow them to continue living independently.

As part of the council’s commitment to tackling loneliness and social isolation, the effective redesign of these homes will also contribute to a positive living space for residents. Communal and shared areas, both indoors and outdoors, have been given a facelift to create brighter open spaces for residents to get together and socialise. As part of this, both buildings have been linked together to provide additional opportunities for people to spend time together.

As part of its Climate Change Action Plan, the council is committed to ensuring that its existing housing stock is as energy efficient as possible and reduce energy use. The refurbishment of the flats has included new window, roofs and energy efficient facades. Low energy lighting has also been installed in the buildings.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “We’re really pleased to have reached this milestone and have now successfully refurbished all of our homes that are designed to help residents continue living independently, keeping to our promise of creating attractive places to live. We are committed to improving the quality of life for local people and a key part of our housing strategy is to make sure that our homes are of excellent quality and create a modern and desirable environment.

“By creating open spaces in these properties, it also creates a place where our residents can get together, meet new people and socialise. The council is committed to tackling loneliness and social isolation, so we hope to see as many residents as possible getting together and enjoying these spaces.”

Pat Fletcher has recently moved in to Leander Court from nearby Aston Court, where she had lived for 16 years. Pat said: “I love living here, the team have done a great job with the refurbishment.

“The communal areas here are fantastic too and a great way to meet up with friends and neighbours. A group of us meet in the communal kitchen at 2pm every day. It’s nice to have the patio and outdoor space that we can all enjoy and use to socialise.”

The refurbishment project started in October 2017 and has also seen Markham Court, Catherine Court, Glebe Court and Brocklehurst Court all being refurbished, alongside Mallard Court and Leander Court.

The properties have been refurbished and modernised by the council’s main contractor, Fortem Solutions Ltd. as part of the council’s commitment to investing in its housing stock.

Councillor Ludlow added: “We’re really pleased to have continued to work with our contractor, Fortem Solutions Ltd. throughout this project. We like to thank all staff for their continued commitment to ensuring that this project has been completed and maintained to the standards our residents expect. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, we have continued to work together safely to complete the project and deliver modern and attractive homes for our residents.”

James Taylor, Contracts Manager at Fortem, said: “We are extremely proud to hand over the completed refurbishment of Mallard Court and Leander Court back to the council and residents. This is the fifth, and largest, refurbishment of existing sheltered accommodation that Fortem have carried out for Chesterfield Borough Council, and the results speak for themselves. It is amazing what can be achieved by utilising existing buildings to provide quality, efficient and welcoming homes for the residents of Chesterfield.”

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Cash injection to explore upgrades to the A61 South of Chesterfield

£50,000 has been awarded to Derbyshire County Council, to assist in making a business case to the government for work on the A61 corridor, to the south of Chesterfield.

The council is contributing by matching the funding to he proposed work, which takes the pot up to £100,000.

Midlands Connect will provide the funding to research and develop a business case to submit to government and will also supply support to the local authority. This allows the council to explore all options available to improve the corridor, which may include improved access for pedestrians and cyclists or enhanced public transport provision along the route.

Swati Mittal, Strategic Roads Manager at Midlands Connect, said: “We are so pleased to be able to give Derbyshire County Council this funding and to help them make their case to government.

“This scheme is exactly in line with Midlands Connect’s values and objectives for the region, and could benefit from a great variety of improvements, which we look forward to exploring with the council.”

Lee Rowley, MP for North East Derbyshire, commented: “I hugely welcome this additional funding that has been announced today.

“We remain at a pretty early stage in terms of how to mitigate the long-term challenges on the A61 but the work that we have done locally in recent years is now starting to be recognised more broadly – including through grants such as this – and I hope it will allow us to make progress in the years ahead. Thank you to Midlands Connect for being willing to support this important work.”

Councillor Carolyn Renwick, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “We are grateful for the funding from Midlands Connect which will help us to develop future plans for the A61.

“This busy road is important for so many people living between Chesterfield and Clay Cross, and for commuters. The road is likely to get busier as new housing developments and business growth brings more people to the area, so it’s vital we look at what we can do to manage congestion and reduce emissions. This money will enable us to further develop our plans.”

The A61 corridor is a crucial part of the major road network in Derbyshire, connecting the county to Chesterfield and beyond into South Yorkshire. The area for improvement spans from the Horns Bridge roundabout in Chesterfield to the A6175 junction in the centre of Clay Cross.

The road is one of the most congested in the county, with several “pinch points” at key junctions as well as Horns Bridge roundabout. During peak hours, average delays of up to twelve minutes affect travellers along the route in either direction.

New housing developments are being built along the corridor and once completed, their residents will benefit from the improvements. Two key construction sites in the vicinity will deliver up to 2,100 new dwellings.

Improvements to the corridor would support better air quality in the surrounding residential area, which includes housing estates and schools. There are also plans to improve pedestrian and cyclist accessibility, by looking into drop-kerbs, crossing points, and cycle parking.

The business case will build on the outcome of a public consultation undertaken by the council. The consultation runs from 25 July to 16 October 2022.

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