A Chesterfield company which specialises in creating immersive digital experiences has worked to bring a local housing development to life.
Oasis Studio’s EyeSiteView brand creates immersive & interactive CGI for property marketing and sales, with the technology recently being implemented to showcase the William Davis Homes’ Skylarks development in Dunston.
Only a five-minute drive from Chesterfield, Skylarks is a development nestled in the Derbyshire countryside. William Davis wanted to invest in a virtual toolkit that drives engagement from their increasingly digitally-savvy customer base.
Oasis Studio is based just over a mile away from where the development is taking place. The content created by the firm is now being used across the William Davis website, social media and sales centre.
Tony Buck, Associate Director at Oasis Studio commented: “As technology continually evolves, we are noticing an increasing demand from developers and house-builders to be able to start selling their homes much earlier.
“However, to be able to achieve this, buyers also need to feel like they are able to make well-informed decisions in order to make a sizable financial commitment. So, that’s where we come in. Using a combination of VR, AR & CGI, we can allow house buyers to explore sites, houses and even customise their kitchens to fit their requirements, all before any bricks are even laid.”
Speaking on the local linkup with William Davis on the Skylarks project, Tony added: “Chesterfield is obviously the heart of where our business is. We have several employees here who live locally or who have been brought up in Derbyshire, so it’s very rewarding to be able to not only see these developments enhance our surrounding towns but also to be involved in the journey.
“From the initial CAD drawings, our talented team create amazing interactive experiences that really impact the sales of property, so to see all that hard work come to life is very satisfying.”
We are experts in guiding housebuilders through a digital transformation. By creating highly accurate ‘3D digital twins’ of developments before they exist, our 360 Virtual Tours, Active Siteplans and Home Configurators really help bring them to life. Ultimately, it allows house buyers the ability to make well-informed decisions more quickly, and increase those all-important off-site sales.
Oasis Studio supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
The University of Derby, which runs courses from Chesterfield’s St. Helena’s Campus has been ranked in Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers for the first time.
Compiled by Stonewall, Europe’s largest charity for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer rights, the widely anticipated list recognises employers who support LGBTQ+ employees to be themselves at work.
The University of Derby joins a number of construction firms and legal, health, finance and education providers who made it onto the list. In addition, the institution has also received the Stonewall Gold Employer Award for the second year running.
Over the past year the University has run a variety of campaigns and initiatives to help raise LGBTQIA+ awareness among its employees and to promote an inclusive environment across its campuses in Derby, Buxton and Chesterfield. These include mentoring and coaching programmes, staff training, and development of its LGBT+ Allies staff network.
Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “I am delighted that the University has been recognised by Stonewall for the continuing emphasis we place on supporting all people to be themselves. The Top 100 ranking and the Gold Employer Award reflect the work we have done to emphasise our commitment to inclusion, and demonstrate that our University is a safe and inclusive environment for our staff and students to work and study.”
Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers List 2023 is the UK’s leading ranking of employers from public, private and third sectors on how inclusive their workplaces are.
Nancy Kelley, CEO of Stonewall, said: “It’s been fantastic to see all of the work put in by the University of Derby over the past year to create a workplace where LGBTQ+ staff feel free to thrive as themselves.
“For many of us, the majority of our time is spent at work, so if we have to hide who we are it can take an enormous personal toll and hold us back from fulfilling our true potential. Creating environments where we can all feel comfortable makes our workplaces a safer, better and friendlier place for everyone and helps staff be proud of who they are.”
Stonewall’s Top 100 list is compiled through submissions to a free, voluntary benchmarking tool, the Workplace Equality Index. All submissions are then marked against thorough and standardised criteria and the Top 100 are picked out by Stonewall for their excellent work in creating inclusive workplaces for their LGBTQ+ staff.
Stonewall was founded in 1989 by a small group of people who wanted to break down barriers to equality. It continues to campaign on LGBT Equality, as well as work with employers and schools to create environments which allow LGBTQ+ people to thrive.
The University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Proposals for four key town centre projects in Clay Cross have been approved, supported by the £24 million Town Fund investment.
The Clay Cross Town Board and North East Derbyshire District Council’s proposals have been given the green light by the government this week.
Final details are still to be agreed, but the projects are now progressing and the Council and Town Board are keen to hear the views of businesses and residents of Clay Cross on these transformations.
The four proposed projects of the newly-produced masterplan for the town centre consist of:
Transport and connections improvements (subject to an upcoming consultation) – proposals include providing enhanced parking and access from the A61, improving traffic flow through the town, re-opening Bridge Street from Harris Way and the possibility of converting the one way section of Market Street from Bridge Street to High Street into a pedestrian zone.
Skills and Enterprise zone – renovating the clock tower building (Adult Education Centre) into a hub for learning and business engagement, which also includes a proposal to bring the library into the town centre.
Clay Cross Community/Social area – preserving, restoring and enhancing heritage buildings in the centre of the town, focused on restoring the annex building of the clock tower building and creating a new leisure space fronting onto the proposed new town square area.
Broadleys site – forming a new town square as the heart between other elements of the Town Deal, providing flexible accommodation for start-up businesses in pop-up enterprise units and providing a space for community activities.
Clay Cross Town Board Deputy Chair and North East Derbyshire District Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Charlotte Cupit said: “The £24 million Town Deal is a great opportunity to bring a boost to Clay Cross town centre.
“Through our business forums we’ve been speaking to local shops and businesses to focus on the key spaces and transport improvements needed.
“The aim of these proposed projects is to promote a more effective, cohesive town centre regeneration whilst also preserving some of the fantastic historic buildings we have in the town to create a really good mix of old and new features for our residents and businesses to enjoy.
“We’re really keen to hear the views of residents and businesses on these plans and we’ll be holding various consultations and events over the coming months – please do get in involved and let us know your thoughts.”
North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Member for Economy, Transformation and Climate Change, Cllr Jeremy Kenyon said: “It’s fantastic to get the green light from Government and really get things moving with a more focused plan for Clay Cross.
“We have got some great projects here which will really transform the town, bring investment, jobs and opportunities to the area.”
Behind the scenes, progress has been made in procuring buildings and land, and a more specific design plan is being developed which will reflect the approved refocus.
In addition to the above, the Town Board and North East Derbyshire District Council continue to progress the redevelopment of Sharley Park (with works now starting on site!), reviewing the feasibility of a new Clay Cross train station and developing further projects around decarbonisation of the town.
The unemployment rate in the East Midlands declined slightly from 3.4% to 3.3% in the three months to December, remaining below the UK average of 3.7%.
The figures have been published by the Office for National Statistics in its latest regional labour market data published on Tuesday, 14th February.
However, the region’s economic inactivity rate – which measures the number of working-age people who have dropped out of the labour market for reasons such as retirement, caring duties, long-term ill health or studying – climbed to a record high of 22.7%, compared to a UK rate of 21.4%.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “After an upwards trajectory in the level of unemployment since the summer – albeit against a context of still being at historically low levels – it is good to see this curve begin to flatten in recent months.
“As we also saw with the UK economy narrowly heading off a widely-expected recession at the end of 2022, this is another important indicator in illustrating the resilience of our businesses during what has been a very challenging three years with pandemic restrictions followed by a cost-of-doing-business crisis.
Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber
“Yet we shouldn’t get complacent about a strong jobs market and our own research suggests unemployment levels may not remain so low this year.
“Our Quarterly Economic Survey for Q4 2022 found there was an 8% decline from quarter to quarter in the proportion of East Midlands businesses that added to their workforce in the previous three months, while there was a similar drop-off in recruitment prospects over the coming three months.”
The rising economic inactivity rate – which was 18.7% immediately before Covid-19 lockdown – poses a cause for concern and the Chamber has urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to address it in the forthcoming Spring Budget, scheduled for 15 March.
Scott added: “Not only are they continuing to face unsustainable cost pressures, but as the rising economic inactivity rate demonstrates, we have one of the tightest labour markets ever seen. Businesses that want to grow, and create jobs and wealth in their local areas, are unable to do so because of acute skills shortages.
“This poses a major concern for the road ahead as our economy plateaus but with the Spring Budget fast approaching, there are measures the Government can take to support businesses to develop a skills base fit for 21st century industry.
“In our Business Manifesto for Growth launched in Parliament last November, we proposed a series of reforms around how businesses invest in their people.
“These include flexible incentives for business investment in staff training, expanding the use of the apprenticeship levy, bringing forward the introduction of the lifelong loan entitlement to support retraining and the retainment of an older workforce, and a comprehensive reform of the shortage occupation list to allow sectors facing urgent demand for skills to get what they need.
“In other words, this is about ‘getting the basics right’ – removing the day-to-day barriers for businesses and ensuring the basic building blocks of economic success are in place.”
To read the Chamber’s Business Manifesto for Growth, A Centre of Trading Excellence, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/manifesto.
The Derbyshire branch of Family Law Group has announced a move to Chesterfield’s Hayfield House.
The office space, situated prominently in the heart of Chesterfield will provide the business with a central location to improve the firm’s quality service to clients.
Established in 2005, Family Law Group has over 130 employees across 10 offices in Nottingham, Chesterfield, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Wellingborough, Derby, Loughborough, Peterborough, Bedford and Cambridge.
Family Law Group provides expert legal advice across the full range of Family Law matters including Divorce & Separation, Child Arrangements & Social Services, Care Proceedings, Matrimonial Finance & Property, Mediation, Collaborative Law, Forced Marriage and Domestic Abuse Injunctions. Family Law Group is Investors in People and Lexcel accredited.
In the company’s Chesterfield office, Associate Solicitor Johanna Brewer, Solicitor Aimee Booth and SQE Apprentice Stephanie Smart together have substantial experience in divorce proceedings, finance settlements and child contact arrangements, as well as Legal Aid work. They are looking forward to supporting their local community through the new Family Law Group presence in the town.
Johanna Brewer, Associate Solicitor at Family Law Group commented: “As a team, we’re really excited to be moving to Hayfield House. The building has excellent facilities and will enable us to grow our presence in the local area.
“Chesterfield is undergoing a lot of regeneration at the moment, which will transform the town for years to come. We’re excited to be part of that transformation, and our investment shows our belief in the growth of Chesterfield and the surrounding area.
“We are always happy to help residents in the town with any of their family law matters, so please do get in touch if there is any situation in which you require our services.”
Family Law Group supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Work is beginning on a new cycling route which will run from the west to the east of Chesterfield.
Crow Lane in Chesterfield will close permanently to vehicles on 17 February 2023 to allow a dedicated cycle and walking route to the Royal Hospital.
The decision to close the lane was taken by Derbyshire County Council last November, following a public consultation.
Crow Lane is the eastern end of the new cycle and walking route, which will take people past the train station, through Queen’s Park and along Chatsworth Road to the A619 junction with Holymoor Road.
The lane was used by many hospital staff who walked or cycled to and from work at the height of the pandemic, and from 17 February they will once again be able to do this safely.
Work also starts on a further section of the route on 13 February. The Hipper Valley Trail through Somersall Park is being upgraded, which will create a new wider asphalt surface for pedestrians and cyclists to use.
This work will take around 12 weeks during which time the park will remain open to the public. Traffic marshals will ensure safe passage of construction vehicles. As sections of the pathway are upgraded they will temporarily be out of use to the public.
The new walking and cycling route, once completed, will give a real alternative to taking the car for short journeys across Chesterfield, which is for the benefit of everyone who lives, works or visits the town. Fewer car journeys will bring health benefits to the whole town including cleaner air.
The County Council has been awarded £1.68 million by the Government to create the new route and work will take place later this year on further sections.
This was evidenced recently at the town’s Employability and Skills Conference, which saw more than a hundred delegates discuss the current skills landscape in the town.
At the conference, Andrew Byrne, Property Development Director at the Devonshire Group updated attendees on the exciting Construction Skills Hub, which is set to be developed in Mastin Moor.
The hub will provide a live learning environment for apprentices in the town, in order to help them gain vital skills and experience, helping people in Chesterfield build strong careers in the property and construction sector.
In the East Midlands, an extra 17,500 construction workers will be needed from 2023-2027, an annual requirement of 3,500 new workers every year.
We spoke to Andrew at the conference to get his thoughts on the current skills landscape across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire, and how local organisations are working to meet the demand.
We’ve heard in recent times a lot about skills shortages in the property and construction sector. To what extent is this affecting the industry?
“One of the problems the property and construction sector faces at the moment, is that its workforce is getting older. We need to begin bringing in the next generation.
“The next generation can help us contribute towards solving the housing crisis, delivering the employment and industrial growth that we want to see in the country, and helping to deliver the physical, social and green infrastructure needed to help us meet that key target of net-zero by 2050.”
What can Chesterfield and North Derbyshire firms do to bring more skilled and talented people into their companies?
“We’ve been here at the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Skills and Employability Conference today (Wednesday, 8th February), hearing from both the education sector and industry about the skills that are needed.
“My key message for people in industry and the property and construction sector, is to get involved!
“It is incumbent on us to actually make a difference, get involved and encourage people into what we do. We should be proud of it.”
For a young person, how rewarding can a career in the property and construction sector be?
“I absolutely love the business that I’m in and I love the property and construction sector. The people I meet, the problems I solve, and the fact that I’m part of teams that build the places that we live, work and play in.
“To come away from a project and know that you were actually a part of it, and that project is going to be there for years to come is a great feeling.”
Tell us about the partnership working taking place locally to encourage the growth of skills in the property and construction sectors.
“You’ll have heard a lot about the work that we’re doing as part of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group.
In the forum, we launched a pilot scheme for women in construction. That is a mentoring scheme where women who are already in the property and construction business, have been mentoring pupils in years 10 and 11 across local schools in Chesterfield.
The second way we’ve been making a difference is the work we have been doing with Parkside School. Members from the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group have been into the school, carrying out a speed networking session with the pupils to show them the range of careers and projects that we get involved in. We answered some of their questions and tried to light that spark so that they take more of an interest in what we do.
I’d also like to refer to the Construction Skills Hub that we’ve been working to deliver with Chesterfield College, Chesterfield Borough Council and the University of Derby. This will be delivered on-site at Mastin Moor across the course of 2023.
New apprentices will be able to learn the skills that the industry needs at the moment, alongside what the industry is going to need in the future to hit those net-zero targets.”
With a range of regeneration projects taking place in Chesterfield currently, do you feel it’s an exciting time to get into the profession?
“The sector is always exciting, but it is particularly exciting in Chesterfield at the moment because there is so much going on.
There is an awful lot going on in Chesterfield at the moment, so it really is a great time. What I would say though, is that it is always a great time to be getting involved in the industry.
If you’re not building it, you’re usually planning for it or trying to solve the problems that make it happen, so the key thing is to get involved!”
Chesterfield is the first town in the UK to declare itself an Apprentice Town – demonstrating its commitment to growing the future and careers of young people alongside business and the economy by retaining and developing young talent in the town in order to attract more employers to invest here.
Chesterfield’s Vicar Lane Shopping Centre has launched a drive to add more small, independent businesses to its lineup of thriving retailers on Steeplegate in the heart of Chesterfield.
Alterx purchased Vicar Lane Shopping Centre back in 2018, and has worked collaboratively and innovatively to turn the street into a thriving independent community of businesses.
Barker Proudlove, the leasing agents involved in the shopping centre, are continuing to take a flexible approach to leasing and are keen to discuss opportunities with independent businesses who are thinking of taking the next step in their business growth.
With increasing shop vacancy rates a national theme, Vicar Lane has managed to reverse the trend. By investing into each vacant unit, the shopping centre has created a series of blank canvases for businesses to make their own. They’ve also offered flexible deal terms which has made these units far more accessible for a range of businesses to consider.
Over the last couple of years the street has been home to a string of independent businesses offering a range of products such as coffee, homemade cake, wedding dresses, pizza, homewares, handmade gifts and so much more.
The current line up consists of Shop Indie, Clarissa’s Interiors, Vintage Tearooms, Pizza Pi and several others.
Shop Indie who joined Steeplegate in 2019, commented on their journey to becoming a part of their local high street: “After many years of selling online and at craft fairs and markets, we knew that the high street was missing out on so many fabulous products from independent makers – those gifts that you just wouldn’t find in the bigger stores.
“Opening a bricks and mortar shop was a big step for us but we were very happy to find the shop on Steeplegate and be part of a new group of independent businesses trading there. We believe this is the future of the high street.”
Vicar Lane supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
A series of short films have been produced featuring businesses from across Derbyshire explaining why they have decided to invest in the county.
Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Economic Partnership commissioned the clips as part of the Invest in Derbyshire service, delivered in partnership with Marketing Derby.
The service promotes the county as a place to invest and provides support and advice to businesses looking to expand or locate in Derbyshire.
The support provided is bespoke, independent, free-of-charge and confidential.
In promoting Derbyshire, Marketing Derby is supported by local businesses whose own investment and growth stories make engaging case studies for others taking similar journeys and are exemplars as to why the county is a business location of choice.
The filmed ‘talking heads’ include a range of businesses across the county and from various sectors, including several firms in Chesterfield.
Among the businesses featured are Chesterfield Champions MTM Products, Roaring Mouse, Global Brands and Peak Village, which is owned by the Devonshire Group.
The films highlight why the businesses have decided to make Derbyshire their base.
They explain how they benefit from the central location and great connectivity, why the county’s quality of life offer is so important for staff wellbeing and recruitment plans, and how the heritage of innovation still lives on today.
Councillor Tony King, the county council’s cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration, said: “Derbyshire has so much to offer investors. Its unique position at the heart of the UK, together with excellent transport links and quality of life, make our county an attractive place for businesses to locate invest, live, work and stay.
“It’s great that existing Derbyshire businesses are able to share their story, which we hope will give more businesses the confidence to base themselves here.”
Speaking about the new ‘talking heads’ films, Adam Rodgers, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby, said: “It’s fantastic to have the support of Derbyshire businesses in promoting the county, sharing their investment stories and pride in being based here.
“Other businesses who are considering locating and investing in Derbyshire can start to get a flavour of the diverse mix of businesses who thrive here and the people behind them, which helps bring the ‘Invest in Derbyshire’ narrative to life!”
The films are now appearing on Invest in Derbyshire’s social media channels, including Twitter and LinkedIn.
MTM Products, Roaring Mouse, Global Brands and The Devonshire Group support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
City Taxis has joined forces with Veezu, the UK’s leading data-driven tech-enabled mobility platform to the private hire sector.
The acquisition is an exciting opportunity for City to offer an improved private hire experience for driver-partners and their passengers. Passengers can still book rides with City Taxis on their free booking app or using the usual City Taxis’ phone numbers. The same friendly City driver-partners will continue to pick up passengers in a City Taxis branded vehicle and take them safely to their destination with the same fares paid as usual.
Launched in 2013, Veezu invest heavily in technology and infrastructure to ensure regional brands like City Taxis remain at the heart of the community, without needing to sacrifice anything in terms of the passenger experience.
Arnie Singh, Managing Director of City Taxis, said: “City Taxis has grown from a small family-run business with 34 cars to a business with access to more than 2,000 driver-partners. We help move millions of people each year, and I am humbled to have played a vital role in this growth.
“I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us on this journey so far, from staff and driver-partners to businesses and riders.
“We are incredibly enthusiastic about what joining Veezu means for City Taxis moving forward. I am confident that joining a larger business with a hyper-local focus will help to keep local taxi companies in demand without compromising on technology or service levels.”
Nathan Bowles, CEO of Veezu, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Arnie and City Taxis into the Veezu Group. City Taxis is a high-quality business in Sheffield and the surrounding areas and we’re looking forward to continuing to provide #smarterlocalrides to the community. I’m really pleased that Arnie will join our management team at Veezu, playing a pivotal role in the next growth stage of our business.”
City Taxis supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Banner Jones Solicitors, a regional law firm based in Chesterfield has been shortlisted for three awards at the upcoming Sheffield & District Law Society Awards.
Nominations for the firm include the prestigious Residential Property Team of the Year, and Employment Team of the Year.
Chief Executive and Head of the Personal Injury at Banner Jones, Simon Wright has also been nominated for Partner of the Year, in recognition of his expertise within his field, his dedication to his clients and his continued contribution to the success of the business.
The winners of the awards will be announced at the annual awards ceremony which will take place on the 17th of February at the historic Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria Hotel, Sheffield.
Commenting on the news, Banner Jones’ Chief Executive Simon Wright said: “The Sheffield & District Law Society Awards are a firm favourite in our events calendar. The event provides a unique opportunity for the local legal community to get together to celebrate our successes, and we are absolutely thrilled to have been shortlisted in two of the team categories this year.
“I am also delighted and privileged to have been nominated by my colleagues for the Partner of the Year award. However, it is important to emphasise that all three of the shortlisting’s are testament to the hard work and dedication that everyone at the firm has shown over the past 12 months.”
This is the second year in a row that the Banner Jones employment team – which prides itself on being able to offer high quality advice in a user-friendly, cost-effective manner to individuals, businesses and charities – has been shortlisted for the Employment Team of the Year Award, which it won in 2022.
Widely recognised for its customer service led approach, the firm’s conveyancing department is in the running for the Residential Property of the Year Award for the first time.
One of the largest and most experienced in our area, consisting of 42 members, the team was also shortlisted for the ‘Best use of Technology’ in the 2022 Sheffield business awards.
Banner Jones Solicitors 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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