Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP) was delighted to be part of Celebrate Chesterfield event recently.
Organised by Destination Chesterfield, Celebrate Chesterfield is an annual event to update on the myriad of regeneration projects taking place in the town.
The regeneration of the high street was top of the agenda at this year’s Celebrate, which was held at the Winding Wheel on Wednesday 20 March.
Bert Broadhead, Director of ALTERIS the new owner of the town’s Vicar Lane Shopping Centre spoke at this year’s packed event.
The company, which acquired the shopping centre at the beginning of this year, has ambitious plans to create ‘a new town centre retail model for the post e-commerce world’.
Mr Broadhead said: “People still want shops but curating them better and creating a personalised experience for town centre visitors is the key to a successful post digital high street.”
Plans to develop Vicar Lane have been driven using Facebook, which ALTERIS is using to engage the local community and help them inform the redevelopment of the shopping centre. The property fund company is set to introduce colour, seating, events and high speed internet over the next six months.
Retail regeneration is a hot topic for towns and cities across the UK in a bid to reverse declining footfall in the face of the popularity of online shopping.
In Derby, a nine year collaboration between Historic England, Derby City Council and local retailers has transformed what was once one of England’s poorest-performing retail areas, into what became an award-winning shopping destination in 2018.
Prior to this, the city topped a national table of struggling towns and cities, with nearly a quarter of its shops lying empty, and many falling into disrepair.
The transformation follows the historic streets of Derby being designated a ‘Conservation Area at risk’ and added to Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register in 2009.
Speaking in 2018, the then Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and the Economy for Derby City Council, Councillor Martin Rawson, said: “Derby City Council has relished working with Historic England over the last eight years to bring back so many historic buildings to their former glory. This has not only enhanced the attractiveness and uniqueness of Derby city centre but has also directly contributed to supporting the local economy where many of the streets, including The Strand and Sadler Gate, have achieved 100% occupancy.”
As well as joining more than 300 delegates to listen to regeneration plans for the town centre and surrounding areas, the DBCP also exhibited at the event at a small exhibition held prior to the presentations.
David Pratt, Building Control Manager at DBCP commented: “It’s an exciting time for regeneration in Chesterfield. Attending the Celebrate Chesterfield event was a great opportunity for us to meet future developers in the town. By engaging with us before plans go onto the drawing board, we can help ensure they are compliant with building regulations, ensuring a greater chance of success at the planning application stage and beyond.”
For more information on how DBCP can help with building regulations or related services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.
To read more about the event and see some images from the morning, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/