Plans revealed to revitalise and regenerate Chesterfield town centre

Delegates at a recently held conference have been hearing more about Chesterfield’s plans to bounce back from the pandemic.

At the Celebrate Chesterfield event, the audience heard how start-ups, consolidation and inward investment had resulted in 310 more businesses being established in the town post-pandemic than prior to March 2020.

Chesterfield has received nearly £20 million of Levelling Up funding to transform the town centre.

The funding, which is being matched by £6 million of investment from Chesterfield Borough Council, will underpin the Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield improvement plan.

The delivery of the improvement plan is expected to increase land value in the town centre by 16% and shop occupancy levels to more than 90%, resulting in increased spending, which will support the creation of around 100 new jobs in the town centre.

Speaking at the event, which was organised by Destination Chesterfield, in association with the University of Derby, Dr Huw Bowen, the borough council’s chief executive, said: “We’ve come through the pandemic in pretty good shape and demand for commercial space has gone through the roof.

“However, the Levelling Up funding is important to getting our high street back to where we want it to be. We need to work together like never before post-pandemic.

“We’re immensely grateful for the Levelling Up funding. It will make a big difference to the town centre to support our growth ambitions.”

The Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield programme will see key spaces in the town centre regenerated and reimagined, including Market Place, New Square, Burlington Street and Packers Row, Corporation Street and the George Stephenson Memorial Hall.

Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield complements the borough council’s masterplan for Chesterfield Train Station.

At the event it was revealed that construction on a new southern link road into Chesterfield Train Station will begin later this year as part of the council’s commitment to create ‘a sense of arrival’ in the town.

Borough council leader, Councillor Tricia Gilby, said: “2022 is already proving to be a landmark year for Chesterfield with the construction of the Enterprise Centre and One Waterside Place, both symbols throughout the pandemic that Chesterfield is always open and ready to do business.”