About Chesterfield

Chesterfield Waterside progressing well in 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Chesterfield welcomes new pop-up events company

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other local companies included in the giveaway include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cycling in Queens Park - Get on your bike in Chesterfield

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Entire Facilities Management continues growth with move to new Bolsover site

A leading service provider in facilities management and support services based in Chesterfield is continuing to grow, by moving to a 4,000 square-foot site in Bolsover.

Entire FM’s new office will enable the company to bring various elements of operations under one roof, with the new premises providing almost three times more floor space than at the previous location of their head office on Whittington Moor.

The move comes off the back of continued growth for Entire, with the company recruiting 32 new members of staff over the last 12 months and further plans to create more jobs. Overall, the firm’s latest figures for Q1 2021 show business growth up five-fold when compared to Q1 2020.

On top of the move to the new North Derbyshire site, Entire FM still has UK satellite offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester as well as a USA office in Chicago.

The new headquarters will house Entire FM’s main operations office, alongside a 24/7 support desk and security monitoring centre. This means the site will act as a central hub for all operations.

In addition, all other companies within the Entire FM group will also be located at the new Bolsover site. This includes JPFM, Block Waste, Alkota and PWE.

The move has been hailed as an exciting time for the company, with the new site providing a key piece of the puzzle of Entire FM’s continuous and rapid growth.

Pete Currey, Managing Director at Entire FM said: “The move to a new head office was certainly due as we simply ran out of space to operate at our old office on Whittington Moor.

“We didn’t necessarily choose Bolsover, but Bolsover chose us; The building was just a perfect fit for what we needed. It will allow us to have more productive work space and allow us to continue our drive forward in the facilities management industry.

“The central geographical location is perfect for us as a business and the fact that we’re literally next door to the M1 is priceless. We can’t wait to reveal the finished product once the refurb works are complete.”

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

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£25.2m investment for Staveley announced

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Works road and canal basin

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Chesterfield packaging specialists Robinson launch new sustainability pledge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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Chesterfield’s Avant Homes Central appoints new Regional Development Director

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Virtual workplace tours launched to north eastern Derbyshire’s students during National Careers Week

National Careers Week 2021 (1 – March) sees the launch of three virtual workplace tours to students across north eastern Derbyshire.

Produced as part of the Made in Chesterfield campaign, the films feature three local businesses operating in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) sector – MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar (UCB) and Woodhead Construction.

The films, which are available to view on YouTube, feature virtual tours of the UCB foundry, MSE Hiller’s workshop and laboratory and Chesterfield Borough Council’s new Enterprise Centre which is currently being built by Woodhead Construction.

Each of the inspiring films feature details of the job roles available at each business, what they involve and qualifications and skills needed.

Produced by Chesterfield-based Defeye Creative, the films are designed to bridge the gap between education providers and businesses during the pandemic and answer the questions that young people are unable to ask while school trips are not allowed.

Despite the recent announcement that students across the country will be returning to the classroom on Monday 8 March, social distancing restrictions will remain in place until at least 21 June this year, preventing students undertaking vital workplace visits and work experience.

Sponsored by Chesterfield College, the annual Made in Chesterfield campaign is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Derbyshire Education Business Partnership, supported by Chesterfield Borough Council and North Derbyshire Careers Hub.

The campaign was originally launched in 2015 in response to companies in the sector reporting long term recruitment difficulties. Over the last six years, Made in Chesterfield has helped introduce thousands of young people in North East Derbyshire to careers in the STEM sector.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield’s board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough, commented: “I am delighted that we are able to take STEM experiences into the classroom and home. Although we are in the middle of a pandemic it is important that we continue to ensure that young people have access to education, training, jobs and work placements in Chesterfield’s STEM sector.

“With HS2 on the horizon, there is the opportunity for the region to become recognised as an international centre of rail research and innovation, but only if we have the skilled workforce to meet investor demand.

“Although virtual for now, I am confident that these videos will be successful in bringing together education providers and businesses to ensure local young talent is aware of the myriad of STEM jobs and careers available here.”

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Deputy Leader, said: “Workplace visits are essential for young people making important decisions about their future. It provides them with valuable insight into what the workplace is like and also gives them the opportunity to ask employers important questions about the skills they need to develop. I’m delighted that local employers have taken part in this because it is vital to ensuring we build a thriving borough and create excellent opportunities for young people.

“These videos will help support the careers information on offer through the My Future platform, making sure that young people can get excellent advice and information about the opportunities available to them. I hope lots of young people will watch these videos and use the information provided to plan their future.”

Daniel Heffernan, Senior Careers Hub Lead, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said:  “In these challenging times it’s more important than ever to ensure our young people are given the opportunity to explore and understand the career opportunities open to them. These tours bring a little slice of industry into the classroom, which will help to drive up aspiration and subsequently attainment.

“They will play a key role in supporting localised skills development and support us in our ambitions to create a steady pipeline of talent, that our businesses will need to bounce back and thrive, as we enter the recovery stages of the pandemic.

“I look forward to sharing these resources with our network of 32 schools and colleges across North Derbyshire, and our wider network of 140 schools across D2N2 as we all work together to ensure that our young people are able to step over any economic cracks created by COVID-19, and that they are given as much support as possible to go on to lead successful lives after education.”

Charlotte Land, STEM Ambassador Hub Manager at DEBP added: “The Made in Chesterfield Programme is a fantastic opportunity for young people and teachers to gain an insight into the amazing places people work in Chesterfield.  DEBP work with employers to develop their programme offer and introduce them to local schools. The programme is an essential part of our work as a STEM Ambassador Hub to bridge the STEM skills gap by introducing young people to positive role models and work environments and through challenging stereotypical perceptions of engineering and manufacturing.”

Schools throughout north eastern Derbyshire are now being encouraged to share the films with students and give them a virtual taste of career opportunities in the STEM sector.

All the virtual tours, as well as informative videos on each organisation, can be viewed here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/tours-for-schools/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Vital funding confirmed for community groups in Chesterfield

Community groups in Chesterfield are set to benefit from more than £30,000 of funding that has been provided through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhoods Fund.

The Chesterfield Borough Council funding is being provided to a wide range of community groups for a variety of different projects, all of which have important benefits to local communities and support the objectives outlined in the Council Plan.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “This funding ensures that much needed projects for our community can be supported and delivered for the benefit our residents. This funding is a result of new developments in the borough and demonstrates how we can leverage new developments to ensure they can help meet the needs of our residents in as many ways as possible.

“In the last few months, we have provided well over £100,000 to community groups through this fund. We have further application deadlines coming up, and I would encourage all eligible community groups that are in need of funding in Chesterfield to apply through this scheme.”

This latest round of funding has been provided to six different projects including money for the Cosy Hub to purchase laptops and provide support to residents when creating CVs and for children to complete their homework on. It has also provided funds for the Friends of Hasland Community Hub to improve facilities in the Working Men’s Club to allow several groups to meet at the same time.

The Friends of Stand Road Park has received funding to help provide further improvements to the park and ensure it has excellent facilities for local residents.

Graham King, Chair of Friends of Stand Road Park, said: “The group is delighted to have been awarded the CIL funding for our project. Our community consultation, for which we undertook an extensive opinions survey, has shown that the community’s next priority for improving the park is to install a network of paths with benches at appropriate intervals. The CIL award will allow us to put in eight park benches. We shall site them at locations to suit the route of the future paths. We aim to put in the paths later once we have raised the required funding”.

Another group that received funding are Derbyshire LGBT+ which works to support Chesterfield’s LGBT+ community. The money will help ensure they can continue to provide their services to local residents.

Ian Robson, Chief Executive Officer of Derbyshire LGBT+, said: “Derbyshire LGBT+ is very grateful to Chesterfield Borough Council for supporting us with a grant from the Community Infrastructure Levy fund. This money will allow us to continue operating our Chesterfield community centre, supporting Chesterfield’s LGBT+ communities of all ages in dealing with issues of general health, mental health, sexual health, loneliness and isolation. Our centre provides many support groups and drop-in sessions each week.”

The Community Infrastructure Levy is a charge that councils can place on new developments in their area through the planning process. It is used primarily to fund infrastructure around the new developments, it can include but is not limited to roads, schools, parks and flood defences. Chesterfield is the only borough in Derbyshire currently using the levy to fund infrastructure and projects.

Funding for community groups comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund. Of the total funding 15% is provided to the neighbourhoods fund. In Brimington and Staveley this money is given directly to the respective town and parish councils to allocate, and Chesterfield Borough Council is responsible for this funding in the rest of the borough.

Find out more about how to apply for the next round of funding on the council’s website: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/cil-funding

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Residents and visitors invited to have their say on Chesterfield Museum

Residents and visitors are being invited to give their thoughts and opinions about Chesterfield Museum and share ideas of what they would like to see the museum offer in the future.

Like many museums nationwide, Chesterfield Museum – which is owned by Chesterfield Borough Council – has had to remain closed to visitors since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Behind the scenes, the museum team have been busy extending and improving the museum’s online offer and exploring ideas for future exhibitions and events that will excite the whole family when the museum reopens its doors.

As part of this, the team at Chesterfield Museum are asking local residents and visitors to the museum to share their views on the museum in a short survey, giving them the chance to have their say about what they would like to see in the future and how visits to the museum could be improved: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/explore-chesterfield/museum/more-from-your-museum/chesterfield-museum-survey

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Chesterfield Museum has been welcoming visitors for more than 26 years, telling the story of Chesterfield – from its beginnings as a Roman fort to its history as a manufacturing town boosted by the Industrial Revolution – and we want to hear your thoughts.

“We know many residents enjoy visiting the museum to learn about our local history and take part in fun events, but gathering feedback is vital in ensuring that the museum reaches a wider audience, making the whole community feel included and valued. I’d encourage as many people as possible to take part in this survey and help shape the future of our fantastic museum.”

As well as presenting fascinating temporary exhibitions about the history of the borough in the museum and unique displays in our Art Gallery, Chesterfield Museum is also proud to work closely with many local organisations from across the borough. In recent years the museum has been proud to host exhibitions organised by Chesterfield Photographic Society, Donut Creative Art Studios (DCAS), LGBT+ Derbyshire, Chesterfield Rugby Club and the Don Rivers Catchment Trust.

Residents and visitors have until Sunday 14 March to share their views.

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Staveley’s £25m regeneration plans to be put under the spotlight at Celebrate Chesterfield 2021

Forging ahead with regeneration plans in lockdown, the latest developments for the Staveley area will be unveiled at the tenth annual Celebrate Chesterfield event on Wednesday 31 March.

The ambitious £25 million plans for the Staveley area were submitted to the Government as part of its Town Deal programme back in December.

Chair of Staveley Town Deal Board Ivan Fomin, who is also the Managing Director at MSE Hiller and a Destination Chesterfield board member, will be speaking at the virtual event at which he will call on the business community to help drive forward the area’s regeneration and take advantage of the opportunities it will create.

He commented: “Staveley is blessed with great assets including land for development, heritage buildings and transport links, but these all need investment and local leadership to drive forward the growth and prosperity of the area. At a time when Covid-19 has re-energised the discussion about the use of outdoor spaces, we also have a unique opportunity to link Chesterfield and Staveley to the national canal network for the first time in 113 years.”

Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of the Chesterfield Borough Council, will also be speaking at the event, which will be live streamed and boast a 3D virtual exhibition.

Mr Bowen will be updating on the progress the town is making with multi-million pound commercial and residential developments, including Chesterfield Waterside and the new seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place.

Ivan Fomin and Huw Bowen will also be joined by Andy Dabbs (Chair) and Jillian Mitchell (Vice Chair) of the newly formed Property and Construction Group, who will also be speaking at the event.

Now in its tenth year, Celebrate Chesterfield, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, in association with Addooco IT, is one of the most hotly anticipated business events in the area and never more so that in the wake of the pandemic.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “Whilst it has been a challenging year for us all, we’re delighted with the progress Chesterfield has made during the Covid-19 pandemic – there are a lot of achievements to celebrate which we will be sharing at the event. We have not stood still a through 2020 and because of this we go into 2021 in excellent shape.

“The Northern Gateway and Chesterfield Waterside developments have made some significant steps and continue to move forward at pace. This, along with the regeneration plans for the Staveley area, it’s safe to say this is an exciting time for Chesterfield.”

Celebrate Chesterfield 2021 is being sponsored by technology specialist Addooco IT Ltd. University of Derby, Whittam Cox Architects and Markham Vale – Derbyshire’s flagship regeneration scheme, join headline sponsor Addooco IT as associate sponsors.

Richard Walters, Managing Director of Addooco IT Ltd, commented: “The concept of ‘Celebrating Chesterfield’ really resonates with me as there is such a rich history of innovation here. Recognising the great work Destination Chesterfield does for organisations in the area, I am delighted that Addooco is the headline sponsor for Celebrate Chesterfield.”

Dr Paula Holt MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby said: “We are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support the Celebrate Chesterfield event again this year. As Derbyshire’s only university, we look to use our academic expertise, research and innovation to foster talent and create impactful partnerships with business.

“The Celebrate Chesterfield event provides a great opportunity for us to have valuable conversations that enable us to understand more about the challenges local businesses face. Our priority remains to effectively service the needs of businesses – creating opportunities for individuals, employers and communities to develop and deliver positive impact on the economic prosperity, health and well-being of the region.”

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, comments: “As a local practice we are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield event. This year is particularly exciting for us, as it will see the launch of Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Forum. The formation of the forum has already had some success in bringing together a network of local property professionals whilst also providing a collaborative platform for engagement with the Local Authority. Although it has been a challenging year, Chesterfield has made some fantastic progress, and the Celebrate Chesterfield event will provide a great opportunity to share this.”

Anthony Clitheroe, Director at HBD, development partner for the Markham Vale site commented: “Our ongoing commitment to the regeneration of Markham Vale has seen momentous change of this area over the years, increasing job opportunities for local workers and ensuring a continued boost to Chesterfield’s economy.

“Alongside Derbyshire County Council, we’re looking forward to continuing the success of 2020 and securing new occupiers at Markham Vale.”

Tickets for the free morning event, which is being held from 8:30am – 10:00am, are available to book now.

To book your place at the event, please visit http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/.

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