Property and Construction

Plans revealed for 600 new homes and major regeneration in Staveley

A developer has announced major plans to regenerate Staveley, with 600 homes set to be built on a brownfield site in the area.

Harworth Group plc, a leading regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has announced the freehold acquisition of a 133-acre strategic land site in Staveley, Derbyshire, capable of delivering 600 new homes, extensive green space and other amenities.

The brownfield site is located off Works Road, close to the A619 to the west of Staveley, and in an area known as the Staveley & Rother Valley Corridor. This area has been identified by Chesterfield Borough Council’s Local Plan as a Strategic Site allocated to deliver 1,500 new dwellings and employment opportunities, alongside a HS2 maintenance depot, primary school and energy generation opportunities. The site is also located along the Chesterfield Staveley Regeneration Route (“CSRR”), a proposed single carriageway road connecting Chesterfield to the M1, which is planned for completion in 2025.

Harworth will work collaboratively with Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, adjacent landowners and other local groups to bring forward a comprehensive delivery plan for residential development along the CSRR. As part of this, Harworth will leverage its placemaking skills to transform the 133-acre land parcel, delivering 600 homes, including a mixed tenure product, alongside new green open spaces, a retail hub and other amenities in the vicinity. Harworth will also manage the closure of the landfill currently located on site, reclaiming the land for new habitat creation as well as the retention of ecology areas to ensure biodiversity net gain.

The site benefits from its proximity to Staveley, which last year was awarded funding by the UK Government’s Towns Fund programme to regenerate Staveley town centre, construct a new railway station and deliver additional employment land. Harworth will work with the Staveley Town Deal Board to ensure that the development complements and enhances these wider regeneration plans.

Submission of an outline planning application for the development is expected in 2023, to coincide with proposed timescales for the commencement of the CSSR.

Andrew Blackshaw, Chief Operating Officer at Harworth, commented: “Staveley is one of a number of recent acquisitions by Harworth as part of our strategy to grow our strategic land portfolio. We look forward to working with local authorities, landowners and other local groups to unlock the significant potential of this brownfield site.”

Andy Roberts, Acquisition Manager for Yorkshire & Central at Harworth, added: “Our freehold acquisition of Staveley presents an opportunity to take a leading role in delivering regeneration in the Staveley Corridor, building relationships with local stakeholders and using Harworth’s unique skillset to deliver new homes and amenities for the community.”

Harworth 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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Businesses set to move into Chesterfield’s new Glassyard development

One of Chesterfield’s exciting new developments, The Glassyard is beginning to welcome businesses on-site with a local hairdresser confirmed as one of the companies set to move into a retail unit there.

A move to The Glassyard has enabled MD Hair to take the business to the next level after operating as a sole trader for five years.

The Glass Yard is a 50,000sq ft development comprising a mix of office and retail space as well as an artisan food and drink hall, known as the Batch House – set to open in February.

The move to The Glass Yard on Sheffield Road, has seen MD Hair grow from sole trader status to a team of three.

Michelle Dalman, Director of MD Hair commented: “I’m really excited to see more businesses moving into The Glass Yard. I am already delighted with the number of new clients we’ve had through the door. Now, it’s all about building the brand and moving forward from there.”

Despite having grown from a sole trader working in premises on Mansfield Road, to a salon with eight chairs, Michelle already has further plans for future growth. She explained: “We’re already thinking about how we can grow. We’ve got room here and I would like to add another salon in the near future.

“We’d also love to open a training academy and be able to offer in house apprenticeships. All our staff have got higher training and that’s important to us. We’re offering a luxury, premium service here and want customers to have more than just a haircut – it’s an experience.”

Sheffield-based property law specialist Mason Thomas Law assisted in her move to the brand new, bespoke premises at The Glass Yard. Mason Thomas Law worked closely with Blue Deer Ltd, to secure the lease deal on behalf of MD Hair.

Michelle explained: “The team at Mason Thomas Law has been amazing. Not knowing anything about the legal side of things, they have really helped me understand everything by breaking everything down into Layman’s terms. Jumping from being a sole trader to this is quite a big leap, so it’s good to have their support.”

Cathy Thomas, Director and Solicitor at Mason Thomas Law said: “It’s been great to see the growth of MD Hair and we’re thrilled to help the business move into its new premises. As well as acquiring new premises, Michelle was upscaling the business at the same time, so it was important to us that we made the lease negotiations at The Glass Yard as straightforward as possible for her. It’s an exciting time for Michelle and her team and we all wish he well and look forward to seeing the business thrive.”

To learn more about how Mason Thomas Law can help you, get in touch with the team today on 0114 2945 360.

 

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Chesterfield homes benefit from facelift

A major regeneration project which has invested almost a million pounds to improve the look and feel of homes in Chesterfield is now complete.

As part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s wider £8 million Residential Block Refurbishment Scheme, Ashcroft Court in Old Whittington is the latest block of flats in the borough to benefit from a major facelift.

The refurbishment at Ashcroft Court is part of the council’s commitment to providing high quality housing across the borough and create modern, attractive places for people to live.

Extensive internal and external improvements have been completed at Ashcroft Court, including the re-tiling of the roof and upgrading of the roof insulation to provide better thermal efficiency. Windows in flats and communal areas have also been replaced with A rated thermal efficient equivalents which give the block a modern facelift.

Communal areas have been fully upgraded and emergency lighting has been renewed with longer lasting, energy efficient LED fittings now in place. The council has also upgraded all communal electrics including the door entry system. New extractor fans have been installed in all the flats and the council has installed new boilers in a number of the homes.

A new outdoor communal area has also been created to the rear of the flats, featuring a seating area and cycle storage. A new car parking area has also been created.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for housing, said: “A key part of our housing strategy is to ensure that our homes are of excellent quality and that we create attractive, modern places that people to choose to live so we are really pleased that this scheme is progressing well and we have another block of flats completed.

“In response to the climate emergency that was declared in July 2019, the council is committed to ensuring that its existing housing stock is as energy efficient as possible. Therefore, it was important that as part of this project that measures were in place to improve the thermal efficiency of the homes.”

Landscaping works have also been carried out existing footpaths being renewed to help improve access around the estate and to each property and create level access to all front entrances.

The £8 million Residential Block Refurbishment Scheme will continue to run over a three-year period with the next stages of the project initially focusing on Seaton Court, Brearley Court, Dixon Court and Newland Dale, with the potential for more blocks to be added in the future.

James Taylor, Contracts Manager at Fortem said: “We’re thrilled to have begun the council’s Residential Block Refurbishment Scheme with the much needed upgrades to Ashcroft Court. The completed work has reinvigorated the flats to provide warm, attractive and energy efficient homes which residents can be proud of. This is Fortem’s fourth project as part of the Scheme in Chesterfield and we’re excited to continue, with work on-going at Brearley and Dixon Court which is due for completion early in 2022.”

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£58 million to be invested in Derbyshire’s road network in the coming year

A £58 million investment in the county’s roads and pavements has been revealed by Derbyshire County Council.

The work, to be carried out from April 2022 to March 2023, will include resurfacing and surface dressing roads and pavements, traffic safety schemes, draining improvements and maintenance to bridges and retaining walls.

Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, said: “This huge investment in roads, footpaths and pavements across the county is the second year of a three year £120m programme.

“More than 44% of the money next year will be spent on resurfacing or surface dressing 375 roads across the county.

“We’re also going to make improvements to pavements, drains and spend money on measures to prevent flooding.

“To help reduce accidents on the roads, money will also be spent on a variety of safety schemes which aim to reduce the numbers of people killed or seriously injured in accidents. Improvements will also be made to the cycle network.

“Much of this work will need us to close roads to make sure it can be done safely, and where possible we will work at off-peak times. I’d like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused to all those affected by these improvement works and thank everyone for their patience.”

The money will be spent in the following way:

  • roads £25.8million
  • pavements £3.6million
  • drainage and flood management £4.7million
  • bridges, structures, retaining walls and highway boundary structures £8.1million
  • signs, lines and signals £3.1million
  • street lighting £2.7million
  • rights of way £1million
  • cycle routes £0.6million
  • greenways £0.6million
  • traffic management £2.8million
  • key cycle network investment £0.1million
  • local cycling and walking investment £0.1million
  • sustainable transport £3.1million
  • air quality £0.1million
  • road safety £1.8million.
  • Total 2022-2023 programme £58.2m.

Centrally located in the UK Chesterfield is superbly connected, has an abundance of new business premises and room to grow. Well served by the M1 and the Midland Mainline Chesterfield is within one hour’s drive of four major airports and London is under two hours by rail.

Find out more about the great investment opportunities in the town at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

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Summit hears how Chesterfield’s ambitions have not been derailed

Speakers at this week’s Chesterfield Investment Summit, have revealed that the borough is on course for a faster recovery from the pandemic than many other towns and cities.

The town’s high rate of public sector employment combined with its strong retail, manufacturing, and logistics sectors, have been attributed to Chesterfield’s significantly lower increase in unemployment during the pandemic compared to the national average.

At the Summit, which was attended by more than 130 members of the business community, it was revealed that the borough’s level of unemployment increased by 46% during the pandemic compared to the national average of 77%.

The annual Summit, which was held in-person for the first time in two years, was organised by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Economic Partnership and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Speaking at the Summit, Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council revealed the town’s plans for its recovery and growth, include plans to make the case for the re-opening of a rail line and a new £125 million road in the north east of the borough.

He said: “The town has shown a great degree of resilience and done really well during the pandemic. We are now looking towards recovery and growth. Chesterfield’s myriad of competitive advantages, including location, history, transport links, university, skills base, affordability and current construction projects have come together to make it an attractive opportunity for investors.”

Despite the ‘bitterly disappointing news’ to axe the eastern leg of HS2, Dr Bowen, said: “This won’t stop us in bringing forward our ambitious plans to redevelop the former Staveley Works Corridor. We look forward to working with the landowners to bring forward a mixed-use scheme comprising housing, leisure, retail, and light industrial units anchored around a new road and Chesterfield Canal.”

At the summit it was announced that the council remains hopeful that the Government will commit to supporting the reopening of the former Barrow Hill line which will connect Staveley, Barrow Hill, and Whittington to Chesterfield and Sheffield. Proposals for the re-opening of the rail line will, all being well, be submitted early next year.

A total of £1bn of investment is expected to be made in Staveley over the next 15 years, creating 3,500 new homes and 2,200 new jobs. Dr Bowen added: “We have two priorities – to make Chesterfield a thriving borough and improve the quality of life for local people.”

Chesterfield Borough Council is also pressing ahead with its plans to transform the area around Chesterfield train station. The multi-million-pound Station Masterplan, which includes demolition of the former Chesterfield Hotel, will ‘create a sense of arrival’ with modern landscaping and ‘land hungry carparks’ being converted into multi-storey carparks to free up land for residential, commercial, and light industrial development.

Demolition of the Chesterfield Hotel will begin in spring next year with detailed plans for redevelopment of the site still to be confirmed.

2022 looks set to be a formative year for the town, with a number of high-quality office developments – One Waterside Place, The Glass Yard and the Enterprise Centre set to be completed. Construction is also expected to begin on Summit @PEAK, phase one of the low carbon / net zero all year leisure, education, wellness, and entertainment gateway resort.

Speaking at the Summit, Peter Swallow Chair of Destination Chesterfield and managing director of Bolsterstone Group which is developing the 60-acre Chesterfield Waterside scheme, said: “The pandemic has brought about changes in the requirements for office space. Businesses want good quality, sustainable office space with environmental and social governance being a key consideration. Once again, Chesterfield is ahead of the curve with the modern, quality office developments already under construction which will enable the town to attract investors, create jobs and new opportunities for local people.”

In addition to Dr Huw Bowen and Peter Swallow, the Summit also heard from representatives from the town’s public / private partnership – Blue Deer Developments, Lomas Mitchell Architects, Whittam Cox Architects, Devonshire Property Group Limited and Derbyshire County Council – which are working together to ensure Chesterfield meets its ambitions.

Jillian Mitchell of Lomas Mitchell Architects, and Vice-Chair of Destination Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Group, commented: “Nationally, we are on the precipice of a time of seismic change in property design and Chesterfield is ahead of the game on this. The town’s commitment to sustainable construction through private/public collaboration is an opportunity for Chesterfield to lead on nationally.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, added: “I am very pleased at the wide range of construction projects going ahead across the borough right now. All these developments represent new jobs and opportunities for local people, especially those looking to start their careers.

“Making sure that Chesterfield residents benefit from local economic growth is a key priority for us and our partners. A great example of this is the mentoring support provided by Chesterfield Property and Construction Group, which helps ensure that local people get the jobs that are coming to Chesterfield – including those created during the construction phase of projects, as well as opportunities within the businesses that relocate and grow here.

“It is a very exciting time for Chesterfield, which has been made possible by the hard work and commitment that the council and its partners have put in over many years.”

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Charity announces move into former Chesterfield register office

Derwent Rural Counselling Service, which supports people with mental health problems across Derbyshire, has invested in new premises in Chesterfield.

DRCS has bought the old Register Office in Chesterfield as part of ambitious growth plans for the charity which currently operates a team of 60 freelance and employed staff working from home and out of seven centres across the county.

Grand plans for the Beetwell Street premises include office space, consulting rooms, meeting rooms and relaxation space to help cope with an increased demand for DRCS services in the area plus other tenanted options.

Janette Smeeton, chief executive at DRCS said: “We have seen rapid growth and success in the last few years and expanded our services now treating people from the Amber Valley, Erewash, Chesterfield, Buxton, Matlock, Ashbourne, Derby, Swadlincote and the Peak District. Adding to our property portfolio in Chesterfield makes sense as were using rented meeting rooms in the town.

“One main aim for DRCS has been to create a local service for everyone in Derbyshire to make sure everybody can get the service they need, close to home.

“The new Chesterfield building offers the biggest property challenge to date with three floors to renovate, but will help us provide as many treatment appointments as possible for the local community. We have not yet begun renovations but hope these will start as soon as possible.”

Mark Serby, chair of trustees for the Bakewell-headquartered charity said: “This is an exciting project and another step in implementing the board’s strategy for growth.

“Now is the right time to invest in the future. Covid has changed how we do things and proved there is not only appetite, but there’s a need. By investing in the purchase and renovation of the property we will be in a position to scale active services and have capacity to introduce potential new ones to meet changing needs and have a real meaningful impact.”

Over the last 30 years, DRCS has become the largest voluntary sector provider of counselling services in the region offering help to individuals, via self referral or via a GP, with common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress and long term conditions through counselling, CBT, guided self-help, and other forms of talking therapy.

Over the last eight years, DRCS has been in partnership with Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust to improve access to psychological therapies throughout Derbyshire achieving above national recovery rates and shorter waiting times.

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COP26 Roundup: How Chesterfield businesses are working towards a greener future

Many Chesterfield businesses, organisations and developments are working hard to build a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly future for the town.

The big climate summit which took place in Glasgow recently, COP26 provided a big reminder to everyone of the need to become greener and reduce our carbon emissions.

Chesterfield Champion, Emma Knight-Strong of specialist sustainability coaching firm, Green Arch Consulting attended the summit, and has provided us with a round-up of all the big talking points from the event:

4 areas of interest, 1 big message

  • Governments – the US and China are now collaborating to work on climate change! While there are concerns about the speed with which governments are moving this announcement (plus a lot of others) is an indicator that the political world is taking climate change seriously.
  • Finance – investors with trillions of dollars are announcing more and more commitments to sustainable and green investments. This is driven by a range of factors including:

– Risk: investors are seeing the impacts of climate change in their portfolios and…

– Standards and regulation: for example COP26 has seen the launch of the International Sustainability Standards Board, which will ultimately require the entire accounting profession to develop their skills in this area.

  • Business – is under increasing pressure to report information and to manage their supply chains. In the UK, large corporates will be legally required to report climate information from April 2022. Importantly, this will impact their entire supply chain as suppliers will need to help their customers collect and report data. Equally, some organisations may find themselves struggling to win new customers (or keep existing customers) if they fail to step up.
  • Communication, engagement and public opinion – is changing rapidly, leading to a huge shift in how people see the climate crisis. This, of course, has an impact on politics, finance and business. A couple of examples are:
  1. The UK Broadcasting associations have committed to embedding climate content in their programmes – helping to spread messaging around climate and carbon.
  2. Education is focusing more on climate and sustainability, helping our younger generations to understand more about their options and about the climate crisis – so when your kids start talking about it you should probably listen – the chances are they know more about it than you do!
  3. Activism is now firmly on the agenda – whether it’s marching on the streets or people actively working to ‘green’ their jobs or companies, people are working together to drive change. 100,000 people marched in Glasgow on 6th November to call attention to the huge public interest in creating a positive outcome for the climate.

How big is the challenge?

The fact that almost every aspect of society is paying attention to this now indicates that this is a major challenge but if you need more proof: scientists, nations, indigenous communities and many others have provided overwhelming evidence that our world is warming. The problem with this is that a warming world is leading to increased extreme weather events, sea level rise and loss of biodiversity.

That, in turn, leads to changes in agricultural productivity, threatens towns, cities and businesses, and even influences things like where some diseases are found. Ultimately, it risks lives and livelihoods across the globe. No business sector, country or even town will be immune to this, albeit some will suffer the effects faster, and more severely, than others.

The message COP26 is the 26th annual conference which seeks to address some of these issues. The announcements and noise surrounding this conference can be overwhelming and it is almost impossible to keep track of everything that has happened. Instead, look above it all and see the overarching message: This issue is not going away. We have a feedback loop of investors influencing business who influence government, who are all influenced by communication (you can rearrange those words into almost any combination, and it will still be true).

That means that at some point, if it hasn’t already, your organisation will be impacted by one or more of these areas. In fact, you may already have been indirectly impacted but just haven’t realised the cause.

Where to start

So how can organisations get on top of this? A good place to start is to understand your carbon footprint. It is by no means the only issue related to climate change and sustainability, but it’s a good foundation for understanding how your organisation operates beyond the financials.

The good news is that there is a LOT of help out there – some of it free, some of it not.

Do an internet search for ‘calculate the carbon footprint of my business’ and see what comes up.

If you already know your carbon footprint then the next step is to think seriously about cutting it by at least 50% by 2030. How will you achieve this? What investment will be needed? How can you plan this into your business year to spread the cost? Equally, how might this help your business, for example will you be in a position to win more customers?

Sustainability success stories in Chesterfield

anzacs chesterfield

Here are just a few great examples of how the Chesterfield community is helping to reduce carbon emissions in our town, including businesses, organisations and local developers.

Custom Solar

Custom Solar is a renewable energy company specialising in solar PV. The business works nationally to design, install and maintain high quality solar systems for businesses, homes and the education sector.

Find out more about a huge solar installation carried out by the company at the Port of Southampion, fitting the Horizon Cruise Terminal with 2,000 solar modules!

Superior Wellness

Superior Wellness won the Sustainability Award, sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council at the town’s annual Love Chesterfield Awards  organised by Destination Chesterfield.

In their award-winning submission Superior Wellness demonstrated that they measure and report their progress, as well as demonstrating that that have committed to sustainability during the past five years.

Mark Needham, Head of Operations said: “Within the last few months, we have reviewed our waste strategy, purchased electric forklift trucks, installed solar panels and have electric charging points.

“This is just the start as we seek to become more sustainable as a business.  Our ten-year vision is to become carbon neutral.”

Don’t Do a Dodo

Don’t Do A Dodo Ltd is a Chesterfield business that aims to help local people ‘go green’ easily and at low cost. It does this by enabling the community to club together to buy green products like solar panels and smart thermostats, securing valuable discounts for householders, whilst reducing their energy bills and their carbon emissions.

Director Nigel Timperley said: “Don’t Do A Dodo is a community business. As well as helping local people group-buy low carbon products like solar panels and renewable energy, we use local suppliers to install things, creating jobs and opportunity in the town’s emerging green
economy. So the town gets greener and local businesses prosper.”

The Gateway @Peak

The exciting Gateway @PEAK development on the northern edge of Chesterfield has been showcasing its sustainability credentials at the East Midlands COP26 Regional Roadshow, as part of its strategic partnership with the University of Derby.

Milligan and landowner Birchall Properties have formed a working group with the University of Derby to bring the latest applied thinking in sustainable tourism, circular economies, data collection and monitoring, geosciences and biodiversity planning to the project.

At the heart of the development is a Zero Carbon transport hub. Hydrogen powered vehicles will connect to a travel network that has the potential to remove over 500,000 car journeys from the park each year, drastically reducing carbon emissions and improving the visitor experience for everyone.

Robinson Plc

Chesterfield manufacturer Robinson, which specialises in packaging launched its ambitious sustainability pledge earlier this year.

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.

Chesterfield FC’s Planet Super League success

Chesterfield Football Club may be flying high on the pitch in the National League at the moment, but the club also topped the table earlier this year in a sustainability league table which involved supporters and the local community.

The unique football tournament ‘Planet Super League’ saw fans score goals for their club by completing planet-protecting activities like having a meat-free meal, using the car less and even taking cold showers.

Chesterfield FC fans put in an incredible effort over the 11-week tournament, racking up 33 points and beating 23 other clubs to the title. Fans have a perfect record for the season, winning all 11 matches including victories against West Bromwich Albion, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and MK Dons.

Chesterfield Property & Construction Group

The annual Celebrate Chesterfield campaign provided plenty of cause for celebration once again this year, with the announcement of the town’s Property & Construction Group being launched.

The new group brings together leaders from the area’s property and construction sectors to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield.

Delegates attending the Chesterfield Investment Summit 2021 will be updated on the progress of the group over the last few months.

SDE Group

Chesterfield-based SDE Group is pushing forward with ambitions to be greener and reduce the carbon footprint of the UK, with the installation of multiple rapid charging points for electronic vehicles.

The company has set out a long-term goal of having a better impact on the environment, with the growth of electric charging stations being something the firm is very passionate about.

Ian Buckton, Contracts Director at SDE Group said: “SDE have been looking at the carbon footprint of the business for the last few years, so when we were approached by our clients to work alongside Gridserve on the renewable energy scheme, it is something that excited us as this falls into our business plan.”

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School workplace tours make a comeback for Made in Chesterfield

North East Derbyshire’s school pupils are set to get hands-on with engineering and manufacturing careers once again with the Made in Chesterfield campaign which returns in November.

Forced to moving to virtual workplace tours last year amidst the pandemic, schools can once again visit local engineering and manufacturing businesses in person and discover the range of careers and job opportunities on offer to them in the sector.

Launched originally in 2013, the annual Made in Chesterfield campaign, which is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Direct Education Business Partnership, has since introduced thousands of young people across North East Derbyshire to the possibility of a career in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) sector.

Relaunched for 2021, and free from the constraints imposed last year by the pandemic, Made in Chesterfield is offering workplace tours for schools across 10 local companies operating in the STEM sector.

Aiming to bridge the careers information gap between education and industry, groups of Year 7 – 11 students will be visiting businesses from Monday 8 – Friday 26 November for an educational, interactive learning experience between.

Companies offering workplace tours to schools include CBE+, Superior Wellness, United Cast Bar, Morgan Sindall Group Plc, MSE Hiller, Penny Hydraulics, Aztec Oils, Vistry Partnerships, Weightron Bilanciai and Woodhead Group.

As part of the month-long Made in Chesterfield campaign, schools can also access a range of careers videos to enable young people to experience a number of workplace tours virtually. There is also supporting activities and careers information and apprentice opportunities within the MyFuture virtual careers fair.

Four years ago, Made in Chesterfield introduced Eve Bennett (20) to the sector with a two- week work experience with her now employer MSE Hiller. She has since gone on to complete a mechanical engineering apprenticeship at the company which is one of a number businesses in the sector supporting the campaign.

Eve said: “I still find it shocking that women get frowned upon for going into engineering. It’s a brilliant job and career for anyone. I’ve always wanted to be an engineer for as long as I can remember. I love the job and the company I am working for. I couldn’t see myself doing anything different.”

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield’s board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough, commented: “We have been running Made in Chesterfield for eight years and in that time, it has achieved an incredible amount. It works. Two of MSE Hiller’s apprentices are a direct result of the campaign.

“Made in Chesterfield is committed to breaking down preconceived ideas about the sector by young people, their parents and teachers. The world has changed and so has the manufacturing and engineering sector. It offers fantastic skills and training as well as interesting and well paid jobs at every level. Everyone is welcome.”

Dan Heffernan, Careers & Young People Lead at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership said: “In this fast changing world of innovation, technology and ever increasing advancement within industry, never has the phrase “you can’t be what you can’t see” been more appropriate. After the last 18h months of our young people being confined to their screens, it’s more important than ever that they are now given the opportunity to experience real life workplaces and to engage with employees carrying out real life jobs.

“It’s no secret that the pandemic rocked our labour market and sent shockwaves right the way across industry. However, as we now turn the corner our businesses are looking at how they can bounce back and thrive once again, and central to this will be a pipeline of talent ready to enter their workforce. It is therefore vital that our young people are aware of the opportunities open to them, and crucially that they understand what they must do to get there.

“D2N2 LEP and the Careers & Enterprise Company are incredibly proud to be working on this open door initiative in Chesterfield, building on the successes that have been seen in previous years whilst engaging and encouraging even more businesses and schools to take part. It is then our intention to use this model as a framework to roll out to all schools right the way across the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire region through our new Careers Hubs.”

Charlie Goodwn, projects Officer at DEBP commented: “We’re excited to working in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and D2N2 to deliver the Made in Chesterfield event in November for students from Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire schools. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to be inspired by local employers and have their eyes opened to the many career opportunities that are available to them right on their doorstep.”

DEBP has been working with the schools to identify groups of students that would benefit from a visit to a local company. Students identified may have a specific career they would like to learn more about or may just need an opportunity to learn about the careers within their preferred industry.

Charlie added: “We’re looking forward to seeing the impact of this year’s Made in Chesterfield events for the young people and businesses involved.”

Made in Chesterfield 2021 has been made possible thanks to funding and support from The Chesterfield College Group, Chesterfield Borough Council, North Derbyshire Career Hub, D2N2 LEP, Careers and Enterprise Company, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd and Natwest.

To find out more about Made in Chesterfield and discover how your school can get involved with a workplace visit, please visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/

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Chesterfield’s SDE Group drives forward rapid electric vehicle charging points across the UK

Chesterfield-based SDE Group is pushing forward with ambitions to be greener and reduce the carbon footprint of the UK, with the installation of multiple rapid charging points for electronic vehicles.

The company has set out a long-term goal of having a better impact on the environment, with the growth of electric charging stations being something the firm is very passionate about.

Electric Vehicles are starting to become the car of choice for many drivers, as the most efficient and cheapest vehicles on the road because of lower running costs, along with a host of other benefits such as priority lanes, free parking and charging, incentive schemes and a generally improved driving experience.

SDE Group is working alongside Gridserve to help grow the electric highway, installing new Rapid Charging Stations up and down the country from John o’ Groats to Lands End, in lots of public locations and destinations.

One of the company’s latest jobs was at IKEA in Sheffield, where two new stations were added to the parking area. All the necessary civil works are undertaken by SDE’s site teams, ensuring the bases are formed to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Once completed, the new units are delivered from SDE’s Chesterfield Warehouse and installed, tested and commissioned by trained and qualified Electric Highway installers.

Ian Buckton, Contracts Director at SDE Group said: “Initially we were asked by one of our existing clients if we would be interested in working with Gridserve in upgrading the electric highway, with the initial trial in the midlands. Now the rollout has taken us from Land’s End to John O’Groats. On average we are doing five sites per week.

“SDE have been looking at the carbon footprint of the business for the last few years, so when we were approached by our clients to work alongside Gridserve on the renewable energy scheme, it is something that excited us as this falls into our business plan.

“If you would like any more information about SDE’s EV charging programme, please contact us on our website.”

In addition, SDE has recently invested in electric vehicles for staff to use when travelling between sites, and installed charging stations in the office car park, to allow the team who own their own electric vehicles to charge their cars during the workday. The firm found this has been a great benefit to team members who head to sites regularly.

With the new legislation the government has signed coming into effect in 2022, this is to become the standard for all new offices and homes across England, so if your business will be in need of Electric Car Charging Stations, SDE can help you move forward into a greener future.

SDE Group 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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Investment Summit to put town’s £45m grant funding under the spotlight

Chesterfield’s success in securing more than £45million in grant funding in this year’s March and October budgets will take centre stage at the fifth Chesterfield Investment Summit.

The free-to-attend event is returning in-person once more and will be held at the Casa Hotel on Wednesday 24 November from 8:30am – 12:00pm.

Christian Neilsen, Urban Design Associate at BDP which developed the Staveley Town Centre Masterplan, in conjunction with Chesterfield Borough Council, will be amongst the speaker line-up.

This is one of the eleven projects that are receiving funding through the £25.2 million Staveley Town Deal.  The grant for Staveley was one of the largest given to 45 towns in England in March earlier this year as part of the government’s £1billion Town’s Fund.

In the recent budget, Chesterfield was once again put under the spotlight by Chancellor Rishi Sunak after securing a £19.98 million grant from the national Levelling Up Fund.

Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council, who is also speaking at the event will reveal how the government funding will be used to continue to create a better future for our market traders, retailers, residents, and businesses.

Around 150 people are expected to attend the popular event which is organised by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Economic Partnership and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

The event will also hear from Rupert Carr, director of Birchall Properties, the company developing Chesterfield’s £400million all year leisure, education, wellness and entertainment destination PEAK, is to headline. He will update delegates on the progress and plans for the ambitious multi-phase leisure development which capitalises on the town’s proximity to Peak District National Park.

Additional speakers also include Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Chris Henning, Executive Director Place at Derbyshire County Council and Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield and Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group Plc the company developing the town’s £340million regeneration scheme Chesterfield Waterside.

Peter Swallow commented: “We’re delighted to bring back the Investment Summit in person, after hosting it virtually last year. Chesterfield has continued to move forward and made significant progression on developments within the town in spite of the pandemic, so there is lots to talk about at the Summit. It’s going to be another great event.”

Organisers anticipate high demand for this year’s in-person event. To find out more about the event and book your free place, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/chesterfield-investment-summit/

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£20m boost for Chesterfield set to enhance cultural offer

Chesterfield Borough Council has secured £19.98m of Government funding through a successful bid to the national Levelling Up Fund. The funding was confirmed as part of yesterday’s Autumn Budget and Spending Review.

£11.4m will be allocated towards the costs of a £15.6m project to remodel and refurbish Chesterfield’s ‘striking’ Stephenson Memorial Hall extending the Pomegranate Theatre, reconfiguring and modernising Chesterfield museum, and introducing new gallery space, a café bar, education, and community facilities.

The remaining £8.5m of funding will be used to further regenerate Chesterfield’s historic town centre, with investment centred on four key public spaces and the connections between them – Corporation Street, Rykneld Square, Market Square and New Square.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “This is fantastic news for Chesterfield. The funding that we have secured from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund will complement the significant investments the council and its partners are already making in Chesterfield town centre and will ensure that we can continue to create a better future for our market traders, retailers, residents, and businesses.

“These investments coupled with the council’s business support activities, which include our Digital High Street Project, new business start-up programme, and Love Chesterfield campaign, also complement the ground-breaking Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project, which aims to sustain the future vitality and viability of Chesterfield town centre.

“We want Chesterfield to be a go-to place for visitors. The projects that will be enabled through the Levelling Up funding will go a long way to helping us achieve this ambition by enhancing our cultural offer and creating new experiences in and around the town’s most iconic building – the Crooked Spire (Parish Church of St Mary and All Saints) – and our historic market grounds.

“We are an ambitious council, committed to making Chesterfield a thriving borough and improving the quality of life of local people. We have achieved part one, which is to secure Government funding, the next part is to deliver these Levelling Up projects at pace and with the desired impact for the future prosperity of our town and borough.”

Under the council’s plans, the four key public spaces that make up Chesterfield town centre will be re-imagined to accommodate a range of flexible uses including markets, festivals, events, cultural celebrations, and community gatherings. This will be achieved through enhancements to the current public realm, comprising new seating to encourage people to dwell and socialise, new landscaping, new lighting, and digital connectivity for all.

At the Stephenson Memorial Hall, the council will be looking to create a unique facility, using the very latest technology to fuse all forms of performing and visual arts whilst also showcasing and celebrating Chesterfield’s heritage. The aim is to ensure that all our residents can experience the arts and culture in much improved facilities, which we hope will also attract many new visitors to Chesterfield’s economy.

Chesterfield Borough Council made its funding submission to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund in June 2021, but it has not stood still with a planning application submitted last week for the works of refurbishment planned for Stephenson Memorial Hall.

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