Property and Construction

Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield plans set to be considered

A multi-million pound project to revitalise Chesterfield town centre – helping the borough thrive for generations to come – is set to be considered by Chesterfield Borough Council.

The £10.28m Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield scheme aims to transform the look, feel and flow of the town centre – creating a contemporary market town that has better connections between key public spaces, and a more attractive physical environment.

It includes plans for significant improvements to Chesterfield’s historic market grounds, along with proposals that will help maximise the potential of the iconic Crooked Spire as a key attraction for visitors, while also re-imagining town centre spaces for a range of flexible uses including markets, festivals, events, cultural celebrations and community gatherings.

Together with the £17m refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall – which received planning permission in March 2022 – the project is being brought forward thanks to almost £20m which the council secured from the Government’s levelling up fund at the end of last year.

The latest designs for the scheme will be considered by the council’s Cabinet on 17 May and, if approved, the proposals will be subject to a consultation period running from 24 May to 8 July 2022 before a final Master Plan is developed.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Chesterfield has been a flourishing market town for hundreds of years, but like places everywhere, we must address the challenges that the rise in online shopping presents to the future sustainability of our town centre.

“Our town has so much to offer, and we want to harness and build on this to create a town centre that remains vibrant, and relevant in today’s world.

“This project, together with the scheme to refurbish our historic Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum, will transform the experience for those visiting the town centre, and help sustain the economic future for the wider borough.”

Levelling up funding will be used to extend the council’s planned regeneration of the market grounds, with extra investment now centred on key public spaces and the connections between them – including Burlington Street, Corporation Street, Rykneld Square, Spire Walk, Market Square and New Square.

It is proposed that new paving, seating, lighting, and street furniture will combine with more greenery, to create better-looking and better-connected spaces which people can enjoy and socialise in.

The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project will complement work to regenerate the Northern Gateway and – at the other side of town – will connect with plans to transform the area around Chesterfield Station.

Key areas of focus are:

  • Corporation Street – a tree-lined boulevard with improved paving and lighting will transform this key gateway to the town centre and provide a welcoming environment for visitors to the refurbished theatre and museum.
  • Spire Walk – the council will work in partnership with the Church of St Mary and All Saints to create a more welcoming and attractive space in which to enjoy our iconic Crooked Spire.
  • Rykneld Square – the proposals seek to make better use of this open public space – providing a better connection with the Crooked Spire, improving the feel and flow of this area.
  • Burlington Street – proposed upgrades to paving, planting and lighting will create a more attractive main route – better connecting the Market Place and High Street through to Rykneld Square and Spire Walk.
  • New Square and Market Place – a multi-million pound investment will revitalise Chesterfield’s historic market. Our plans will create a modern, vibrant town centre experience with additional space alongside our traditional markets to host outdoor events and speciality markets. The council is working with local traders to develop a revised market stall and layout design for the main market, and to consider how New Square could be used to complement the town centre offer in future.
  • Packers Row – under existing plans, in place before the successful bid for levelling up funding, this area will also undergo improvement, following the completion of similar public realm works at the nearby Elder Way. Plans include improved lighting and paving, with an overhead light canopy to add character. Work here is set to start in spring 2022.

Councillor Sarvent added: “We have been successful in pulling in millions of pounds of extra funding into our borough over the last 18 months, which is fantastic news for local people. It will complement the significant investments that we and our partners are already making and puts Chesterfield town centre in a strong position for the future.

“We want Chesterfield to continue to be the go-to place and we’re confident that, taken together, the widespread improvements will achieve this by creating a contemporary market town that builds on our proud history and heritage.”

The work will be carried out in phases from spring 2022 and is due for completion in 2025.

Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield

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‘Leaving the door open’ – Chesterfield’s Property & Construction forum continues to highlight sustainability

Jillian Mitchell, Vice Chair of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group and Director of Lomas and Mitchell Architects has penned this month’s blog on how the group is coming together to highlight the importance of sustainability across the town.

I was asked recently to deliver a 15-minute talk on ‘how to make your home more sustainable’.  It’s a pretty tall order, given the magnitude of the subject.  The first question was ‘how on earth do I cover the subject in only 15 minutes?’  Definition of the word ‘sustainable’ is wide-ranging, covering anything from saving the planet to reducing energy bills, and everything in between.

It can be overwhelming and we often feel powerless to think that anything we do can make a difference, so it is tempting to do nothing.  It doesn’t help that there is a bewildering array of measures and targets out there, quoted in impenetrable units which are hard to put into any sort of context.  Take the example of your fridge.  If you regularly leave the door of the fridge open whilst trying to decide what to make for dinner, for example, you can be wasting 50 – 120kWh/yr.  These numbers don’t mean a lot on their own, but if you understand that 50kWh/yr could run your dishwasher twenty times or 100kWh/yr the washing machine for fifty cycles, the scale and context become much more tangible.

At the heart of the issue, however, is a simple message – we must all do something to contribute to reducing our energy consumption and our dependence upon finite planet resources.  It really doesn’t matter which sector you work in – everyone can do something to make a difference.  The current energy crisis has brought all these themes into sharp focus, and now is the time to capitalise on the opportunities to look at our consumption and behaviours and commit to making a difference.

The Construction and Property Forum have identified key themes, one of which is ‘Sustainability and Quality’, because we want to highlight the need for more ambitious targets across the region.  The challenge is to shift from historical drivers, such as shareholders and regulations, and move towards the over-arching target of net-zero carbon by 2050 whilst still demonstrating profitability and compliance.  The shift needed is seismic and not to be underestimated – but we all have to do something, and we need to do it now.

The Forum seeks to support and challenge our local authorities as they strive towards these ambitious goals whilst providing exemplars of best practice for our colleagues in the sector to learn from and share.  We are keen to explore who is working on these themes in our area and welcome input from colleagues across the sector.  You can get in touch by emailing PropertyGroup@chesterfield.co.uk

In the meantime, maybe it’s time to not leave the fridge door open.

Jillian Mitchell is a Chartered Architect and Director at Lomas and Mitchell Architects.  Jillian is a member of the steering group of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group and heads up the themes of  Sustainability and Quality.

Find out more at: www.lomasandmitchell.co.uk

Chesterfield Property and Construction Group

 

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Chesterfield’s Whittam Cox Architects recognised for redevelopment of iconic Sheffield estate

Chesterfield-based Architects Whittam Cox has won an AJ Retrofit Award in the listed buildings category £5 million and over for it’s work on Beton House in Sheffield.

The AJ Retrofit Awards, by The Architects’ Journal, celebrate the design expertise behind the vital renewal and repurposing of existing buildings, setting a precedent for ways to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint in the process.

Béton House is the third phase of the redevelopment of Sheffield’s iconic Park Hill estate. Originally completed in 1961, Park Hill is the largest listed building in Europe and is regarded as a significant brutalist building of heritage. Working with Alumno Group, Whittam Cox created a new 8-bedroom 3 storey townhouse typology that fitted into the constraints of the unique Park Hill architecture.

At this year’s AJ Retrofit Awards, the judges commended Whittam Cox’s approach to retaining as much of the original scheme as possible, which has saved a total of 577 tonnes of CO2 emissions.  As a ‘holistic scheme’, they thought the model of adaption should be celebrated and described the completed scheme as ’a lovely project that captures the spirit of the Retrofit Awards’.

Nick Riley, Board Director commented, “Winning this design award is testament to the hard work and commitment from everybody involved in delivering this incredibly special and unique project.

“Our approach to the design was about being authentic and respectful to the structure and facades. We felt it was important to retain, repair and reinstate as many original elements as we possibly could. The addition of carefully selected coloured elements, both internally and externally, adds new character and identity which is rooted in its culture and history.”

Matthew Borland, Associate Director added: “As a team, we have worked incredibly hard to understand the deep roots of the original design which is clearly unique in architectural character.

“Our designs for Béton House retain and celebrate all of the important elements of the original scheme, while respectfully adding new layers of identity, using the famous ‘streets in the sky’ to create a unique student living offering in Sheffield city centre.

“Our aim was to be able to express Béton House as a coherent piece within the Park Hill estate as a whole that formed a framework for other collaborators to work within so that all new interventions could be well considered with a consistent and timeless feel.”

Whittam Cox 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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Funding secured for new renewable energy battery storage facility in Chesterfield

Chesterfield has been named as one of the areas to benefit from investment in a battery storage facility, adding to the town’s green growth.

Santander UK has provided a £27m funding package to 4 Renewable Energy, the independent power producer (IPP) arm of RGREEN INVEST, an independent French investment management company specialised in equity investments and financing for energy transition and climate change adaptation infrastructure projects. The funding supports construction and operations of four new-build battery storage facilities in England that 4 Renewable Energy acquired last year.

The new local facility will be based on Back Lane in Chesterfield, with facilities also being built in Rochdale, Plymoth and Bexhill on Sea.

Battery storage is key to ensuring the UK’s homes and businesses can be powered by renewable energy. It plays an important role in boosting the nation’s capability to capture, store and release renewable energy, providing a more reliable and regular supply.

Owned 100% by RGREEN INVEST’s INFRAGREEN IV fund, 4 Renewable Energy has plans to expand its UK portfolio beyond its first four battery storage facilities. It is actively pursuing additional battery storage projects under development or ready-to-build in the UK and is establishing a local team.

RGREEN INVEST’s managed entities have invested in more than 1,500 renewable energy projects to date and in large battery storage facilities in France – on the mainland and overseas. 4 Renewable Energy has wind, solar and battery storage projects under development and construction in Spain, Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania and Poland. Its portfolio of renewable energy projects totals more than 1.5 GW.

Since the start of 2019, Santander UK has committed more than £250m to the battery storage sector. This funding is part of Santander’s global target to lend €120bn in green finance to businesses throughout the world by 2025. The funding package provided to 4 Renewable Energy was partly financed by Santander UK’s Environmental and Social Growth Fund, which is designed to support lending that benefits the environment or society and contributes toward the UK’s sustainability agenda.

Sébastien Rondel, Head of Direct Investment for RGREEN INVEST and Director of 4 Renewable Energy, said: “This is our first venture into the UK market, and we are excited to be an active player. Our banking partner, Santander UK, has greatly supported this venture and is helping us pursue our strategic development abroad. Our choice of the UK is significant as the nation has made an ambitious decision to accelerate its transition to renewable energy sources, and battery systems are poised to become a key component of this strategy’s success.”

Mark Cumbo, Director, Specialised and Project Finance at Santander UK said: “We are delighted to support RGREEN INVEST’s entry into the UK renewables market with funding for the construction of its four battery storage facilities. Santander UK strongly supports clients such as RGREEN INVEST that are bringing positive environmental change to the UK’s energy sector, and we are delighted to provide funding for these new battery storage facilities throughout England.”

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Ground-breaking event marks latest milestone for council housing in Chesterfield

A ground-breaking event held on the site of a new housing development has marked the latest milestone in Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to increasing the number of affordable council homes in the borough.

The construction of 10 new homes in Middlecroft is now underway as local councillors joined representatives from Robert Woodhead Ltd, the council’s main contractor, on site at Wensley Way to kick-start the new project.

This latest development will see the addition of two three-bed bungalows on Rowsley Crescent, two two-bed bungalows on Court Place, four two-bed bungalows on Wensley Way and two two-bedroom houses on Paisley Close.

In response to the climate emergency that was declared by council leaders in July 2019, each of the properties will benefit from high levels of energy efficiency, including enhanced levels of insulation and the installation of energy efficient boilers and lighting throughout.

An electrical vehicle charging point will also be installed at each property to help encourage lower carbon transport options.

Each of the houses and bungalows will be fully landscaped with tarmac driveways and turfed lawns.

It comes as local families are set to move into new homes at Badger Croft in Loundsley Green, with the recent completion of the largest development of council homes in the borough for a generation, which has seen an additional 21 new homes added to the council’s housing register.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “This is another significant milestone for us in our efforts to increase the number of affordable council homes across the borough. We’re really excited to watch the latest development progress.

“The new properties will provide affordable, modern and accessible homes for local people and the energy efficiency benefits will offer affordable warmth to our tenants whilst also allowing us to contribute to a more sustainable future for us all.”

Jack Snowdon, Senior Project Manager at Robert Woodhead Ltd, said: “We are delighted to be starting on this project for Chesterfield Borough Council to provide the much-needed additional affordable social housing in the area. The bungalows will be very well insulated and therefore should aid in the reduction of fuel bills, whilst also creating a comfortable living environment throughout the year for the occupiers. This coupled with energy efficient boilers and lighting will assist in responding to the climate emergency and creating more affordable running costs.”

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Completion of new Jewson branch supports delivery of Chesterfield Station Masterplan 

Construction of a new Jewson branch on Sheffield Road has been completed. This is a key milestone in the £10.8m joint project, between Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council, to deliver the first phase of the Hollis Lane Link Road.

The new Jewson branch will open its doors on Monday 9 May as it relocates from its former home on Spa Lane.

The move will allow the construction of a new highway from Hollis Lane, extending Spa Lane up to the railway station car park. The Link Road will provide a new gateway from the south as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s ambitious plans to regenerate the area around Chesterfield railway station.

The Jewson development has also delivered wider benefits to Chesterfield – contractors Morgan Sindall Construction have engaged directly with more than 1,000 students from Chesterfield College, Outwood Academy Newbold, The Bolsover School and Shirebrook Academy. The students have been encouraged to consider careers in construction and educated in what skills they will need to gain to pursue successful careers in the sector.

In addition, Morgan Sindall Construction has spent around £1million within the local supply chain, through sourcing building materials from local merchants and employing local sub-contractors for particular construction tasks.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The completion of Jewson’s new Sheffield Road branch signals another positive step forward for our plans to transform the area around Chesterfield railway station.

“The depot will provide a great new base for a much valued local employer, and also brings a longstanding empty site back into productive use.

“Making sure that developments also benefit the wider community is a key priority for us. We welcome the work that Morgan Sindall Construction has done within the local community both in supporting skills development and the local supply chain.”

James Garnett, Project Director for Morgan Sindall Construction said: “We are delighted to have completed the new Jewson branch in Chesterfield. Since our appointment, we were determined that our delivery of this project would result in tangible benefits for the wider Chesterfield community. By working with closely with the council and local community groups, we’ve been able to achieve just that. We are very proud of the impact that our charity and education work has had on the town, and the opportunities it will afford local people for years to come.”

Jewson is one of the largest builders’ merchants in the UK, with nearly 500 branches located across the country. Its new branch on Sheffield Road will be a one-stop shop for tradespeople and the general public.

Barry Hilling, Regional Director at Jewson, said: “The development of our new Sheffield Road branch in Chesterfield is part of a wider series of investments we’re making to lessen our impact on the environment, while also supporting our communities.

“Jewson Chesterfield will be one of our first near zero carbon energy branches, fitted with a range of innovative technology, also available to customers through our Making Better Homes range, which will vastly reduce our carbon footprint and reliance on the energy network. We’re delighted to help support the regeneration of the local area and offer tradespeople easy access to more innovative products.”

Councillor Alasdair Sutton, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Support Member for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “This is an important step in the process to develop the Hollis Lane Link Road, as the old Jewson site was needed. The link road will be a key part of the plans for the station area and we look forward to working closely with Chesterfield Borough Council on this important project.”

The Chesterfield Station Masterplan aims to create a welcoming first impression to Chesterfield for visitors by rail. New public realm is planned to establish a sense of arrival as is a boulevard of retail and leisure leading up to Corporation Street and the Crooked Spire. A new transport hub will make onward journeys easier, and a new cycle hub will enable visitors to hire bikes and e-bikes. The Hollis Lane Link Road will improve access to the railway station from the south and there are plans to replace the existing ‘land hungry’ surface car parks with multi-storey car parks freeing up the land for residential and commercial development.

Construction work on the first phase of the Hollis Lane Link Road is anticipated to begin later this year. The Link Road is part funded through a £3.8m grant from the D2N2 Local Economic Partnership.

As part of its wider plan to positively impact the local community in Chesterfield, Morgan Sindall Construction commenced work with Chesterfield College in 2021 on a programme of activities to demonstrate to students the many different opportunities that a career in construction can offer. The programme consisted of virtual talks on the works being delivered at the Jewson site, and in person site tours for craft trade and technical students.

Morgan Sindall Construction also supported Destination Chesterfield’s Made in Chesterfield campaign to celebrate local manufacturing and STEM industries with site visits and career events in local secondary schools such as Outwood Newbold Academy, Shirebrook Academy and Bolsover School.

Morgan Sindall Construction has also donated £16,350 to local charities including Ashgate Hospicecare and provided over 100 hours of volunteering time. Morgan Sindall Construction’s Wakefield office will be running its second charity football match later this year to raise more funds for local charities.

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Dozens of jobs to be created at Derbyshire’s first electric forecourt at Markham Vale

One of our area’s flagship regeneration sites, Markham Vale, could soon be home to a state-of-the-art Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station powered exclusively by renewable energy.

Gridserve, the tech-enabled sustainable energy business, has submitted a planning proposal application to Chesterfield Borough Council to build another of its award-winning Electric Forecourt sites at Markham Vale.

Markham Vale Electric Forecourt would be a timely addition to the Borough, more than doubling the number of chargers to meet both current and growing needs for electric car drivers in the area. The proposed site would be the first dedicated EV charging facility of its kind in the area, with 30 chargers supplied by 100% renewable energy and connectors to serve drivers of every type of EV.

The proposed location for the new Electric Forecourt is between Enterprise Way and the eastern side of Duckmanton. The site plans feature 22 high power chargers, providing up to 350kW – powerful enough to supply up to 100-miles of range in less than 10-minutes. Additionally, six AC chargers providing up to 22kW complete the plans.

The development would make a significant contribution to local electric vehicle charging infrastructure and would create 25+ full time equivalent employment opportunities through the design, engineering, construction and operation phases. Interested parties are invited to view information on the proposal here. www.gridserve.com/markhamvale

Gridserve CEO, Toddington Harper, said; “We are committed to delivering EV charging infrastructure that both enables the transition to net zero carbon transport, and excites drivers to make the transition to electric vehicles. The geographical distribution of EV charging across the UK is essential to usher in the mass market era of electric vehicles. This development would benefit the local community, and the wider UK as it reduces its reliance on fossil fuels. We are proud to have chosen the area of Markham Vale for this project and we hope the people across the region share our passion for delivering a cleaner, more sustainable future in the earliest possible timeframes.”

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said: “We welcome Gridserve’s interest in Markham Vale and, if their proposal is granted planning permission, the new Electric Forecourt, will give motorists the confidence to make the switch to an electric vehicle and move us closer to our target of helping to get 1,000 public facing electric vehicle charge points in place throughout the county by 2025.”

“Decarbonising transport is one of our top priorities as part of our climate change strategy which aims to reduce emissions generated by the county council to net-zero by 2032 or sooner and help the rest of Derbyshire reduce carbon emissions generated within the county to net zero by 2050 or sooner.”

Richard Hinds, Development Surveyor at HBD, said: “Markham Vale is one of the largest industrial and logistics schemes in the North, so it’s important that we look to the future to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to provide motorists with clean energy. We’re very pleased to welcome Gridserve and look forward to working with the team as they bring their plans forward.”

 

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Robert Woodhead Ltd sustainability initiative scoops prestigious award

Robert Woodhead Ltd have won the Environmental or Community Initiative of the Year 2022 at the National Federation of Builder’s Construction of Excellence awards.

The company’s ‘Going Beyond Green’  initiative detailed efforts including:

  • The company’s 10 year Climate Action Framework which will lead them to their goal of becoming a climate positive contractor with zero single use plastic on site by December 2029.
  • The ‘Future Home‘ product which has been developed to meet 2025 building regulations today and can achieve NET Zero carbon. The results will be accelerated delivery, up to an 80% reduction in carbon emissions and up to £175 in tenant bill savings.
  • On-site carbon monitoring.
  • Launching an EV scheme for employees and progressing a vision towards an all-electric Fleet.

The event took place at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel in London on Thursday 8th April, with attendance from Business Services Director, Tom Woodhead, and Janine Broderick, People Development Director. The company also invited Estimator Scott Wilkinson and Assistant Project Manager Liam Thorpe in recognition for their great work they have done for the environmental efforts of the company.

Scott was instrumental in Woodhead’s support for the community woodland, securing 1,000 trees to be planted as part of the national pathfinding project in Bolsover. You can read more about this initiative here.

Liam completed his dissertation on embodied carbon and collaborated with Woodhead Group client, Nottingham City Homes, to undertake a focus group/presentation with their new build team. He encouraged Nottingham City Homes to consider the impact of embodied carbon in their projects and how to reduce it. Liam’s learning was applied to Woodhead’s Eastglade site, which consists of 106 homes, where the team prevented 116 Tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Subsequently, the carbon footprint of the foundations was reduced by 76%.

Robert Woodhead Ltd supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Major refurbishment to take place at prominent Chesterfield office building

A major refurbishment of prominent Chesterfield office space, The HQ, Rowland Hill House in Chesterfield is underway, resulting in a raft of new tenants.

The works being carried out by FI Real Estate Management includes a £1.2m remodelling of the ground and third floors, which has created brand new reception and meeting space and the ground floor has been split into a series of smaller suites in response to market demand. This is now fully occupied by a diverse range of businesses including software consultancy Forefront Technology and advertising agency, Eehhaaa.

The next phase of works will see a £1m+ refurbishment of the first and second floors that will see the space divided to provide smaller units, with discussions already ongoing with a number of interested parties from Derbyshire and beyond.

The HQ, Rowland Hill House offers a wide range of refurbished, flexible and affordable office space from 400 sq ft up – right up to 60,331 sq ft across four floors. Space can be divided in order to meet specific business requirements, with turnkey and bespoke packages available.

The property also boasts 326 on site parking spaces, unlike many office buildings in the area.

Situated within the heart of the historic market town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, Rowland Hill House is just a 15 minute drive from the M1 and East Midlands Airport only a 40-minute car journey away.

A spokesperson for FI Real Estate Management commented: “We continue to see strong demand for high quality office space in prime locations in Derbyshire and the surrounding area, particularly those with ample on-site parking like here at The HQ, Rowland Hill House.

“Local and regional businesses are keen to find first class office environments but understandably want the flexibility to create solutions that are tailored to them and suit their unique needs. We’re able to offer traditional leases as well as bespoke, turnkey packages and are already seeing good interest in floors one and two on this basis.”

Find out more about the wide range of quality and affordable office spaces here in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/office/

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Largest council housing development in a generation set to welcome new families

Local families are set to move into their new homes after works on the biggest council housing development in the borough since the 1980s are complete.

A £4.1m development has seen 21 brand new properties constructed on the former Brockwell Court site in Loundsley Green – the latest development as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to increasing the supply of affordable and accessible homes across the town.

The new development, named Badger Croft, comprises of ten two-bedroom houses, six three-bedroom houses, four four-bedroom houses and one three-bedroom bungalow – all of which will be let to local families on the council’s housing resister.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for housing, said: “We’re pleased to see that this development is complete and ready to welcome families to their new homes. It’s the biggest council housing development of this generation, so it’s a huge milestone in our efforts to increase the housing supply across the borough.

“Creating attractive places for people to live is at the heart of what we do and these new properties will provide affordable, modern and accessible homes for families in our borough.”

In response to the climate emergency that was declared by council leaders in July 2019, the council is committed to ensuring that all its housing stock is as energy efficient as possible.

Councillor Ludlow added: “It’s really important that new developments in the borough take account of environmental issues – contributing to a more sustainable future for us all.

“Living in a warm and energy efficient home is not only better for our planet, it will also reduce costs to run the property, offering affordable warmth to our tenants.”

Each of the new properties has increased levels of insulation throughout and electric vehicle charging points have been installed on properties with driveways to support lower carbon transport options.

Whilst works were ongoing on site, the council’s main contractor, Henry Boot Construction, worked with the local Holmebrook Conservation and Improvement Group to complete additional landscaping works and environmental improvements close to the new development that will help to enhance the wider local community. This included the creation of wildflower meadows and planting that will help boost biodiversity and support pollinators.

Ryan O’Loughlin, Director at Henry Boot Construction, said: “As a local contractor, it has been a pleasure working with Chesterfield Borough Council to deliver an exceptional development. Residential is a sector of strategic importance for Henry Boot Construction and this adds to our impressive portfolio of high-quality schemes.”

The council’s Local Plan encourages all schemes costing over £1m to include a work of art to the value of 1% of the total cost of the project, as part of the ‘Percentage for Art’ scheme which the council has operated since 1994.

This has been reflected with the development at Badger Croft where the council approached artists to submit proposals for an art installation that embraced a Badger theme associated with the area. After proposals were submitted, and through vigorous debate, local councillors made the decision to go with Coralie Turpin, who designed a 3.4m tall steel structure and then created a handmade mosaic design incorporating badgers and celebrating nature.

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Office space? Chesterfield has it all!

With rapid regeneration currently taking place in Chesterfield, we got the thoughts of two people in our town helping to lead the way in providing high quality office spaces.

Developments such as the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre and One Waterside Place are set to open this year, while existing spaces are continuing to be revamped to create affordable and state-of-the-art premises for businesses.

Whether you’re just launching or taking steps to grow your business, Chesterfield has plenty of options available. Find out more at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/office/

To find out more about the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/propertygroup/

Building high-quality offices in Chesterfield

Tom Swallow, Development Manager, Bolsterstone Group PLC

Offices remain important to companies – they are vital hubs to facilitate collaboration, team building, training and mentoring particularly where younger members of the workforce are concerned.

The post-pandemic return to the office has led to a shift away from the ‘traditional’ approach to office space. Businesses are now reconsidering how they use their space and looking at how they can adapt it to a more modern, agile way of working. This has resulted in a dramatic change in office space requirements. and a ‘Flight to prime’.

As a result of the pandemic, companies are now looking to modern, high quality workspace to attract their staff back into the office and maximise on the efficiencies of agile working.

Companies want modern, quality workspaces that are flexible and provide good services and amenities. Quality is overtaking quantity, as it’s unlikely all employees will be in on the same days as they adopt a hybrid working from home /office model.

On the back of the delivery of high quality office developments and refurbishments across the borough – Chesterfield is in an excellent position to capitalise on the change in office demands post pandemic.

A 2021 survey by CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, found that 63% of employers planned to introduce or expand the use of hybrid working to some degree, combining time in the workplace with time at home, depending on the needs of the job, the individual and the team, and the team working practices.

Additionally, many large companies are now looking to move away from their single city centre HQs and, instead, implement a ‘hub and spoke’ office model – a network of smaller regional offices in well-connected locations.

With new offices at The Glass Yard, and the Enterprise Centre and our own scheme, One Waterside Place at Chesterfield Waterside, nearing completion, Chesterfield is well positioned to meet all the post pandemic office needs.

The addition of high quality office space to Chesterfield is important for economic recovery. The quality of space offered not only supports the growth ambitions of local companies, but also facilitates inward investment from companies locating from elsewhere in the UK (the hub and spoke model).

The social impact of offices is another emerging key factor for occupiers too, with Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) policies now at the heart of decision making. Sustainability is at the heart of such decisions – occupiers are focusing on their carbon footprint in all aspects of their operations. High quality design with a focus on sustainability through the whole life cycle of the building are real criteria for businesses looking to relocate and Chesterfield has designed buildings to meet the highest scoring criteria, further adding to its appeal.

The creation of new, Grade A office space with larger floor plates and high quality amenities allows Chesterfield to compete with other towns across the region. One Waterside Place for example is a BREEAM rated ‘Very Good’ property, has two passenger lifts, raised access flooring, air conditioning, LED lighting, a high-quality entrance foyer, showers and cycle parking facilities onsite. It is city-quality office space that allows employers to provide flexible and collaborative workspace in the post-Covid world.

Add The Glass Yard, the recently refurbished HQ building and the Enterprise Centre (BREEAM ‘Excellent’) to the town’s existing office space provision, and I believe we can truly say that Chesterfield has something for everyone – from start-ups to growing and mature businesses.

The new office marketing campaign, led by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire Economic Partnership, provides a central showcase for companies to see available office space opportunites across the borough.

Our variety of office space, competitive cost, central location, mainline train station and proximity to the Peak District, is all helping make Chesterfield an obvious location for many businesses looking to balance and accommodate hybrid working arrangements for their workforce. The town has, once again, proved it is ahead of the curve.

Creating great working environments

Amy Revell, Co-Founder of We Are Spaces Ltd

The workspace is a fascinating topic for me, I’m a creative person with a keen interest in the psychology of why we do what we do. The workplace is the perfect blend of the two, bringing together people and property.

Our Businesses are full of different personalities, pressures and demands, which is why a quality workspace is so important to support the needs of your team. Throughout the pandemic we’ve all been forced to change and work in different ways, some embracing this, and others really struggling. But what is evidently clear in our modern world of working is to ensure we provide dynamic, engaging, sustainable and healthy workspaces for us all to achieve our very best.

The office isn’t just about providing a desk, we all need much more than this to feel inspired, energised and productive. To futureproof our offices, it’s important we adapt to hybrid working, meaning you are able to provide a little bit of everything, at any time. From open plan agile work stations, to quiet focus zones, collaborative areas, fully AV enabled meeting spaces, places to be sociable, to build trust and rapport, and crucially, an environment to allow our younger, less experienced workers to learn from their co-workers.

In addition, our health and wellbeing is a hot topic, and something we should all be striving to improve upon. Our workspaces need to be healthy environments, with good levels of fresh air and ventilation, robust heating and cooling systems, lots of natural light and acoustic comfort really needs to be considered. If we get all of these basics right, creating an engaging and productive space is much easier to achieve.

This is proving to be a huge success in Chesterfield as we are seeing a large increase in inward investment and large businesses looking to locate their workspaces here, due to the mix of high quality office space, good transport links and overall quality of life. This brings new and exciting job prospects to Chesterfield, its raises the aspirations of our young learners and workforce, more people look to live in Chesterfield and in turn boosts our local economy.

We are very fortunate in Chesterfield, as the council and local developers have continued to invest in a range of high quality workspaces. For example, the Northern Gateway has a warm and inviting reception with modern and bright furniture pieces, sociable shared breakout areas, temperature controlled office suites, with plenty of fresh air, natural light, acoustic baffles and lovely views of the towns greenspaces and iconic crooked spire.

The Waterside development has high reaching ceilings, with energy efficient LED lighting, fantastic fresh air and ventilation system, floor to ceiling windows, allowing all the natural light to flood in and the higher floors have fantastic views of rolling hills lush greenery. In addition, The Glass Yard really provides a fantastic industrial style workplace experience, with leisure, food and beverage and health and wellbeing businesses on site. In creating workspaces that allow us to create a great experience for the user, we will all have a happier, healthier and productive workforce.

Our workspaces also need to cater for the rapidly growing digital and tech sector. There is huge growth in new tech and digital starts up, and Chesterfield is already great at providing business support, but our workspaces also need to be able to provide fast and reliable broadband, spaces for efficient digital content creation and inspiring design to really allow new innovation to thrive.

This is where investing in a quality interior fit out and furniture, can have such a big impact on the overall success of the workspace. Lots of our businesses in Chesterfield are already embracing this. I have been working first hand with many. For instance, Hunters Estate Agents have now adapted to a fully agile work environment. Moving to The Glass Yard, they have reduced from 3 floors to 1, so they can work collaboratively together as a close knit team.

They have also been able to reduce their overall square footage, saving key overhead costs to their business. By working closely with the team, we have been able to understand their challenges and opportunities, and with the volume of high quality workspace on offer, they have been able to make great changes to their workspace, which will put them in a much better position for the next 10 years.

To this end, I hope you will be able to see how important it is that our councils and developers continue to invest and build high quality workspaces, so that we can attract new businesses, create more jobs, generate new revenue and grow further opportunities for everyone to thrive.

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