Full steam ahead for rail innovation facility

Plans to create a new £4 million rail innovation and training centre in Derbyshire have been given the go-ahead.

Permission has been granted for the Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) – a modern rail innovation and training centre set to be located next to the Barrow Hill Roundhouse, at Staveley, near Chesterfield.

The new centre will provide workshop and classroom space to support specialist rail industry training, research and development facilities, and commercial space for rail-related businesses.

The design team for the project, which is being funded through the Staveley Town Deal, has been led by engineering consultancy Rodgers Leask.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and vice-chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “It’s fantastic that our plans for DRIIVe have now been approved – the centre offers the opportunity to drive growth in the rail sector and help our residents access high-quality jobs.

“The development of DRIIVe is part of our Skills Action Plan that aims to help everyone benefit from economic growth, but it also contributes of the ambitions of the Staveley Town Deal in ensuring that the town is a place where people can ‘Start, Stay and Grow’.”

The centre will provide more than 1,400 square metres of floor space consisting of classroom and workshop training areas, and specialist research and development facilities – including a digital laboratory and commercial offices.

DRIIVe will create around 20 full time jobs and by year five it aims to support around 270 trainees, supporting local people to access highly skilled careers in the rail industry.

Funding for the project is mostly being provided through the Staveley Town Deal – the Staveley area was one of 101 towns across England invited to make a bid to the Government’s Towns Fund and received £25.2 million.

As well as DRIIVe, the funding is being used to support ten projects in the area that aim to ensure the town is a place where people can ‘Start, Stay and Grow’.

Ivan Fomin, chair of the Staveley Town Deal, said: “This is a huge step for DRIIVe and for the Staveley Town Deal – seeing projects move through the planning process brings us closer to getting started on site and delivering the benefits of these projects for the residents of Staveley.

“I look forward to seeing DRIIVe develop further and meeting the residents and businesses who will benefit from the completed development.”