Top of the class for retail

A national report revealed that Chesterfield is bucking the north-south divide with low shop vacancy rates. The latest figures from the Local Data Company (LDC) gives a detailed insight and analysis of 506 town centres and Chesterfield is third best of the largest centres in the country with just 8.7% of shops being empty, compared to the likes of Nottingham (30%), Stockport (28.4%) and Sheffield (26.1%).

Figures from the LDC report show an increase in shop vacancies across the East Midlands from 16.7% in 2011 to 17% in 2012. Chesterfield (8.7%) is the only town centre in the region that is in the top ten featuring amongst a predominant list of Southern based locations, including Central London, Cambridge and Kingston upon Thames.

The good news doesn’t end there on the retail front. A new Debenhams store will be opening shortly and there will be a further phase of development on the Ravenside Retail Park after two additional units have been approved and are due to be completed next summer.

Works are starting on the refurbishment of the Market Hall and the proposed Northern Gateway Projects and Walton Works are working their way through the planning process.

At Destination Chesterfield we want to continue to build on this success and will be once again running a marketing campaign on the run up to Christmas to attract people to shop and spend their leisure time in the town. Last year’s campaign was a great success generating up to an estimated £500,000 into the local economy.

Part of our inward investment campaigns will target the retailers and leisure providers we would like to see in the town, building on what is already here and we will also be launching a number of the initiatives that were included in our Portas Pilot bid thanks to the in-kind and financial support of the Chesterfield Champions.

These positive results can only be achieved by working together and this success is down to the hard work of the town centre businesses, agents, Chesterfield Borough Council and everyone one who works, shops and lives in the town centre.

Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway project developer decided

It is great news for the Town that Chesterfield Borough Council has selected Wilson Bowden Developments as its preferred partner for the proposed Northern Gateway project. The estimated £50m scheme will transform the Donut roundabout area, one of the main gateways of Chesterfield town centre, into a high quality shopping and leisure area.

The Council shortlisted two bidders to prepare detailed proposals – Wilson Bowden and Muse Developments. Both companies submitted their final tenders to the Council in April and the final decision was made by the Council’s Cabinet on the 8^th May.

The plans, which will go forward for a full public consultation, include a major foodstore, retail outlets and restaurants, a cinema, 80 bed hotel, 85 homes, offices, and 700-800 replacement car parking spaces, plus an outdoor performance area.

Destination Chesterfield will be holding a special Meet the Developers Breakfast, an event which is exclusive to Chesterfield Champions, on the 14^th June. This will be a first chance to see the plans and to ask the developers questions about their ambitions for the project.

Following this event, there will be an public ‘meet the development team’ event which will take place will take place in Unit 9 The Pavements Shopping Centre (formerly Thomsons travel agents) on Thurs 14^th June - 12pm – 4pm , Friday 15^th June – 10am – 4pm and Saturday 16^th June – 10am – 4pm.

This is a chance to have ‘your say’ in respect of the development in the early stages of the design process- please make sure you take this opportunity.

Details about this and other regeneration schemes in Chesterfield can be found at www.chesterfield.co.uk and we post the latest news to our facebook page at www.facebook.com/chesterfielduk and twitter at www.twitter.com/chesterfielduk

Inspired Investment

Destination Chesterfield recently held an event to update local businesses and media on progress of the regeneration schemes in Chesterfield. I thought I would share the highlights from this event as it is clear from the presentations that although times are tough in the commercial world, we are seeing real progress on several of the local schemes.

By way of example, Chesterfield Waterside has secured £2.4million from the Sheffield City Region’s Growing Places fund. This will allow the new canal link to be built on site which will in turn enable commencement of housing construction on the former Laver timber yard element of the project. A planning application for the canal works is to be lodged by the summer with work planned to start later in the year.

The Borough Council will shortly announce the details of their delivery partner for the Northern Gateway development, the objective of which is to enhance the Towns’ retail offer, and take Chesterfield into the top 100 shopping destinations in the UK. They will select their preferred partner in May, with a planning application being programmed for late autumn and if all goes to plan the development being completed in 2015.

Markham Vale, located at Junction 29a of the M1, continues to grow from strength to strength. The site was recently awarded Enterprise Zone status by Sheffield City Region and has seen continued investment including Squadron Medical’s new 40,000 square foot facility and the 100,000 square foot national distribution centre for Andrew Page Ltd, a national distributor of car spares/parts.

To keep up to date on the latest news in respect of the main development sites in Chesterfield please visit www.chesterfield.co.uk