Staveley 21 – Town Centre regeneration
Staveley 21 is a significant £6 million regeneration and revitalisation project in Staveley town centre.
It is based around the masterplan developed in 2021. It aims to make Staveley town centre a more attractive place, with better connectivity that will boost business confidence. In addition, the proposals will create an improved leisure and retail offer for residents and visitors.
The project has included improvements across the marketplace, a new lighting scheme, additional tree planting and improved connections to the Chesterfield Canal. It has also included new CCTV to help ensure the town remains a safe place to visit and a new flagship play area designed in consultation with students from Staveley Junior School.
Work started on site in November 2024, and the town centre works have now been completed, marking an important milestone in the overall Staveley Town Deal programme.
There has also been a Shop Front Grants scheme, which has seen almost half a million pounds provided to local businesses to enhance their properties and improve the look of the town.
It builds on improvements already made thanks to the Town Deal Accelerator Fund, some of which were used to upgrade CCTV across the town centre.
Market Square regeneration
The market square has been transformed with new feature paving, additional seating and planting, creating a more attractive place to visit and spend time shopping, socialising and exploring.
The enhanced square also includes new lighting to help ensure the town centre looks its best at all hours of the day and night, along with new CCTV to help ensure the town remains a safe place to visit.
Elsewhere, the disused toilet block in the market square has been replaced by a new landmark pavilion building, which will house Staveley Library on the ground floor and provide commercial space on the first floor.
The new pavilion features striking design elements alongside traditional brickwork, helping it fit with the wider environment while creating a new landmark for the town centre. The library is expected to open later in 2026, with the council in discussions with several businesses about the commercial space.
With support from the Shop Front Grants scheme, the corner building of shops, called Barnfield Close, has undergone redecoration and modernisation. This has enhanced the area around the market square and created a more inviting entrance from Morrison’s car park.
The enlarged public open space has been designed to support existing uses and provide a setting for events and activities to encourage more people to visit the town centre.
The introduction of tiered outdoor seating provides extra space to socialise and infrastructure for events. A small amount of snagging work remains around the seating area, which will provide a space for the community to host performances and other activities.
Play equipment has also been installed to help make the marketplace more attractive to families. The new flagship play area was designed in consultation with students from Staveley Junior School and helps make the town centre a place for all ages to enjoy.
A new sculpture created by artist Coralie Turpin has also been installed in the town centre. The sculpture draws inspiration from the Cuckoo Boats, which were unique to the Chesterfield Canal, and depicts nature scenes from the canal alongside work created by students from Staveley Junior School and Netherthorpe School.
The sculpture was funded through the Animate Chesterfield programme and features lighting, along with a cuckoo boat shape in the paving, reflecting the importance of the canal to Staveley’s history and its role as a local green space today.
Rejuvenation of the high street
A shop front improvement scheme totaling £600,000 was available for retailers to apply for match funding to carry out improvements to their store fronts. This funding has now been allocated, with almost half a million pounds provided to local businesses to enhance their properties and improve the look of the town.
Additionally, rejuvenated paving and public realm works on High Street have helped to complement the conservation area.
Improved connections
Increased connectivity across the town centre includes both physical improvements and digital improvements.
The links between the town centre and the Chesterfield canal will be improved, so it is easier for residents and visitors to navigate by foot or by bicycle. This would also include improved signage to help direct visitors to and around the town centre.
The installation of new signage will help to improve connectivity within the town centre and encourage exploration, helping to raise awareness of businesses and local points of interest.
Moreover, a new lighting strategy covering the entire town centre will help support the night-time economy, ensuring it is a more attractive place to visit at all hours.
The Staveley area is benefitting from £25.2m worth of government funding through the Town Deal, which must be spent by March 2026.
