People can now take part in an online consultation to have their say on a multi-million-pound plan to revitalise Chesterfield town centre.
The £10.28 million Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield scheme will transform the look, feel and flow of the town centre delivering all the components of a 21st century town which were identified in a report from the British Retail Consortium.
The report identified five key priority areas for high streets and town centres:
- Unique sense of place
- Attractive public realm
- Planning for success
- Accessibility
- Safety and security
Chesterfield Borough Council now wants residents in the borough and businesses in the town, to help shape the final proposals for its ambitious scheme. People can have their say by taking part in an online survey which are if you wish to take part in the online survey, please visit here and complete 8 July.
People are being asked to comment on new designs for Market Place and New Square, home of the town’s historic market. The council plans to re-think’ the spaces to enable them to be used for a wide range of events, celebrations and community gatherings. There are also plans to introduce hi-speed Wi-Fi to the areas.
The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield scheme also includes installing new paving, seating, lighting, street furniture and greenery will create updated spaces where people can socialise and dwell.
The investment is part of a total of £27 million which is being spent on transforming Chesterfield town centre. The investment, which has been described as ‘game changing’, has been made possible thank to £20 million of Levelling Up funding which was secured by Chesterfield Borough Council towards the end of 2021.
A key part of the investment includes the Pomegranate Theatre, which is set to temporarily close its doors later this month in preparation for a multi-million-pound renovation project that will create an enhanced and improved customer experience. The work is part of the planned refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall, home to the town’s museum and art gallery, which will see improved venue accessibility following competition of the works.
The latest investment in the town centre is in addition to a £1.2million public realm improvement scheme around Elder Way which was completed last year. The public realm improvements included:
- The reconstruction of existing footways and paved areas with a mix of high-quality paving materials
- Pavement widening
- Taxi rank improvements on Knifesmithgate
- A range of formal and informal pedestrian crossing improvements.
- The de-cluttering of the street scene by removing obstacles to pedestrian movement
- The introduction of trees to the street
- Introduction / improved design of loading bays
- New bus shelters and re-positioned bus stops on Elder Way
- New street furniture
- Carriageway resurfacing
For businesses now looking to invest in a forward-thinking town centre, Elder Way offers the ideal opportunity. The regenerated mock Tudor building, which was formerly a Co-Op department store, has seven spacious high quality street level units ready for businesses to move into. Additionally, there is a large basement which is ideal for a leisure business. The units all benefit from a popular 92-bed Premier Inn hotel located on the upper two floors of the iconic Elder Way building and which has been trading since 2019.
Developer Jomast is already in talks with a number of potential occupiers who are ready to make the move to the premier leisure address in Chesterfield.
Mark Hill, Commercial Property Director at Jomast Developments commented: “Mark added: “Chesterfield is an exciting place to be right now. The work on this new project will complement the existing Northern Gateway development, where Elder Way is based, and will also feed into plans around the railway station. Chesterfield is continuing to punch above its weight.
Read more about the Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield scheme here.
With seven fully accessible, modern street level units with glazed frontages available now, Elder Way offers the space and location to enable businesses to capitalise on Chesterfield’s growth.
If you’re a business looking to benefit from the opportunities on offer at Elder Way get in touch with us today.