PROPERTY Chamber on the move
Based in Chesterfield since its launch in the 1860s, the Chamber is moving to newer premises on the town’s Dunston Business Park. Repairs needed to the existing head office on Canal
Wharf have rendered it no longer fit for purpose. An outline planning application has been submitted
to Chesterfield Borough Council to redevelop the Canal Wharf site as housing. The Chamber bought Commerce Centre, the official
name of the offices in Canal Wharf, in the mid-1980s, but the flat-roofed, pre-fabricated construction of most of the site has been costly to maintain and was built long before consideration was given to an organisation’s green credentials, resulting in it being expensive to run.
‘There comes a time when you have to say ‘enough is enough’, and that time is now’
The decision by the University of Derby to move its
nursing college from the two-storey section of Commerce Centre to the refurbished St Helena building on Sheffield Road, closer to the town centre, has also influenced the Chamber’s decision to move. Scott Knowles, Chief Executive, said: “The current
building needs constant air-conditioning in the summer and is almost impossible to heat in the winter, the roof leaks in too many places and last year the nursing college flooded in heavy rain.
“Asbestos was used in the construction of the pre-
fabricated parts so no repairs can be made simply or cheaply. “The floor area of Commerce Centre is about
80,000sq ft, which is more than the Chamber needs, and the labyrinthine layout is not conducive to good business practice. “It has been estimated that we would need to spend
about £400,000 to make all the necessary repairs and improvements to Commerce Centre, but even that wouldn’t give us the ‘green’ credentials we are encouraging other businesses to adopt nor the accommodations we need. “There comes a time when you have to say ‘enough
is enough’, and that time is now.” The Chamber is buying St Andrew’s House, Millennium Way, off Dunston Road, Chesterfield, a modern three-storey office building that can be easily adapted to meet the changing needs of a 21st Century business. Councillor John Burrows, leader of Chesterfield
Borough Council and cabinet member for regeneration, said: “It is really good news that the East Midlands Chamber is moving to better premises in the town. “The fact it is staying in Chesterfield rather than
moving to another town or city shows that it views Chesterfield as a good place to do business and from which to support local members in the business community.” The Chamber will move to St Andrew’s House towards the end of February 2017.
An artist’s impression of the proposed Piazza and Mercia Marina
Marina set for development
Mercia Marina is planning a new £3m development to further reinforce its status as one of Derbyshire’s most important tourist and shopping attractions. Plans for ‘The Piazza’ are
currently being considered by South Derbyshire District Council and, if approved, are set to create dozens more jobs. The Piazza will be built on
the peninsula next to the marina’s award-winning Boardwalk shopping, leisure and office development, which opened in 2014. The proposed three-storey building, which will border the area surrounding the marina’s unique five-sided bandstand, is likely to contain a ground- floor restaurant and up to six shops, with offices on the two upper floors. If approved, it is envisaged that The Piazza could be completed by December 2017. Robert Neff, General Manager of Mercia Marina, said: “Our exciting new development proposal demonstrates just how successful we have become. “Since the marina opened in
St Andrew’s House
2008, we have become recognised as a major tourist attraction, not only for shopping, eating and drinking, but also boat trips, boat holidays, lodge holidays and much more.”
business network December 2016/January 2017 51
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56