AG Construction, a construction firm based in Hilton, Derby, has been awarded a new contract in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Working closely with Turner & Co Consulting Ltd., AG Construction will produce a turnkey project for their client, converting a newly built commercial shell located on Derby Road, next to Stirling Business Park, into a complete veterinarian orthopaedic hospital. This is a significant development with the contract awarded currently standing at £550,000. AG Construction will transform the 6,060 sq ft commercial shell into a hospital offering a full range of services to Ashbourne’s furry friends, from diagnosis to treatment.

Plans for a brand-new £6.4m Community and Young People’s Centre on the Hickings Lane Recreation Ground in Stapleford have been submitted for approval.

Plans for a new boathouse and an 80-seat restaurant have been given the green light by Ashfield District Council’s Planning Committee. The plans form part of Ashfield District Council’s £62.6m Towns Fund projects. Plans to demolish the former sailing club building at Kings Mill Reservoir were also approved. The new building will provide modern, accessible changing and storage facilities for water sports on the ground floor, with a dedicated space for a restaurant on the first floor. The plans will support activities including sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and open water swimming at the reservoir. The new offering will allow more residents and visitors to Kings Mill Reservoir the opportunity to access water sports. Since submitting the initial planning application for the plans in 2022, the Council has been undertaking surveys and site investigations at the sailing club building, including Bat Surveys, to ensure wildlife is protected and habitats are enhanced by the new facility. The new building will include new bat roosts, bird nesting boxes, and a replacement open-front pole-mounted kestrel nesting box. Construction of the new extended car park to accommodate the new leisure building will begin in May 2023, with the demolition of the sailing club building beginning later this year. The construction of the new building, on the site of the sailing club building, is due to start in late summer. The new facilities are due to be completed during the summer of 2024. The new leisure facilities will complement the expansion of the Mill Adventure Base to include new outdoor activities which will be operational in 2023. The plans for the well-loved reservoir are just one of the 16 projects being funded by the £62.6m Towns Fund. The Council was successful in securing the funding from the government in June 2021, and since then have been developing business cases, designs, and plans for the planned projects. Cllr Samantha Deakin, Executive Lead Member for Parks, Town Centres and Environmental Services, said: “The plans for Kings Mill Reservoir are extremely exciting. We can’t wait to be able to open up the offer of a variety of great new activities to visitors. The location of the new restaurant offering will be a fantastic addition to the reservoir, and will bring in even more visitors to Ashfield. “I want to reassure residents that the demolition and construction phases of this project will be done sensitively to ensure none of the resident wildlife will be disturbed.” Cllr Matthew Relf, Executive Lead Member for Regeneration and Corporate Transformation, said: “This is another positive step for our plans to make Mill Waters one of the top tourist destinations in the East Midlands. We want to hear from clubs or individuals, who are keen to get involved in developing and running water sports activities at the reservoir. Please get in touch with the team if you are interested.”

Bolsover District Council has agreed to formally establish a wholly owned development company, to help provide regeneration and new housing. The company, called Dragonfly Development, will provide an income stream from housing, commercial and regeneration activities across the District to help fund the Council’s ambitions and the key challenges it faces. Deputy leader, Councillor Duncan McGregor said: “Let’s not beat about the bush here, government funding is reducing all the time, so we have to come up with ways of generating more income if the Council is to survive and we are to continue with our ambitions and improve the services we provide. “Our district is growing and everyone deserves the chance to live in a safe, secure, modern and efficient property. So, if we are in control of building these properties through Dragonfly Development, this will enable us to formulate business cases for each project and provide new homes for areas that need them and for people living in that community.” The Council decided to set up the company after it had previously took quick and decisive action by agreeing to take on the current constructions projects at Whaley Thorns, Creswell, Langwith and Shirebrook after the collapse of its preferred building contractor Robert Woodhead Ltd. A full business case on the new company was commissioned from Sharpe Pritchard (Public Sector Lawyers) and councillors had the opportunity to ask questions at two separate presentations. The business case shows Dragonfly to be a viable proposition, which will generate income over the proposed 30-year period of the plan. Councillor McGregor added: “So, rather than a construction company making a profit on our regeneration and house-building schemes, Dragonfly Development will allow us to take this profit and re-invest it back into our services and District for the benefit of our residents.”

North East Derbyshire District Council has been granted planning permission for a new leisure centre – Clay Cross Active, to be built on the site of the current Sharley Park Leisure Centre in Clay Cross, with works set to commence in early 2023. The new centre will be a low carbon, low energy building and a hub for the community. Along with the 100 plus gym space, soft play, swimming, café and TAG Active facilities, there will be the addition of North East Derbyshire Citizens Advice and other services, all nestled within the new building. Built by the Council’s development partner, Alliance Leisure, the new facility is expected to open in winter 2024 and is funded through the Clay Cross Town Fund and North East Derbyshire District Council and partners. North East Derbyshire District Cabinet Member for Leisure, Cllr Alan Powell, said: “We are delighted to get planning permission for the new leisure facility at Clay Cross and are excited to start work on site. “The current facility is old and dated and our residents have said they wanted a new facility which will bring the community together, and we are delighted to say this will be happening imminently. “With climate change at the heart of all our decisions, the centre will be low carbon, have solar PV and air source heat pumps and will be an asset to the community, bringing together other services to make a real hub for Clay Cross.” Clay Cross Town Board Deputy Chair and North East Derbyshire District Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Charlotte Cupit said: “We are delighted to get the go-ahead for this amazing facility for all the community to enjoy. We listened when you said you wanted a new facility and this will be just that and more with other partners involved and it will be a real hub for the community for years to come.” Julia Goddard, Senior Business Development Manager at Alliance Leisure, said: “Alliance Leisure’s role in the project is to deliver a leisure and wellbeing facility that the local community can be proud of. Having delivered over 200 leisure developments across the UK we are bringing this expertise to our delivery of Clay Cross Active. Our team will be assisting at every stage of the project and look forward to seeing the new centre open in 2024.”

Acting on behalf of PMW Property, Corbin Archer of FHP Property Consultants has let Unit 3a Bradley Park, High Holborn Road, Ripley. St Ann’s Sheet Metal Co Ltd have taken the property, located on Codnor Industrial Estate, for a period of 5 years. Unit 3a Bradley Park provides 7,161ft² of warehouse accommodation and 2,794ft² of office space. Internally the property comprises ground floor clear span warehouse space with a large amount of office accommodation on the first floor. Corbin Archer of FHP Property Consultants says: “I am delighted to have let Unit 3a Bradley Park, working closely with my colleagues and Victoria Wrigley on this. The letting is an excellent result for all parties involved and we were able to secure a new 5-year lease for our clients. I wish Neil Bradshaw and the rest of the team at St Ann’s well in their new warehouse space and I am sure they will make a great addition to the estate.” Amy Howard of FHP Property Consultants says: “It has been a pleasure to work alongside both parties on this deal and to see it cross the line within a required timeframe. The unit has been on the market for a while so we are pleased to see it occupied. “St Ann’s have been in the market looking for a unit suitable for their requirements and Unit 3a ticked a lot of boxes for them which will allow them to have the potential to grow their business to the next level. I wish St Ann’s all the best in their next adventure and look forward to working with them again.” Victoria Wrigley of PMW Property Limited says: “I am very pleased to have successfully completed a long-term lease of 3a Bradley Park, Ripley, to St Ann’s Sheet Metal Co who were a pleasure to work with. The offer we received quickly turned into a completed deal within a short time frame. “Thank you to Corbin of FHP Property Consultants and our legal advisors for acting on our behalf and ensuring the letting process was quick and easy. I look forward to working with St Ann’s Sheet Metal Co and wish them every success for their future.”

A brand new £14 million hub supporting start-up businesses in creative industries has opened its doors in Northampton. Vulcan Works provides lettable office space, workshops, meeting rooms and co-working spaces for business owners from its newly revitalised space in the heart of Northampton’s Cultural Quarter. The transformation of the Grade II listed former ironworks factory has been months in the making and the extensive construction works have created an impressive, state-of-the-art centre for local businesses to thrive, while being true to the building’s heritage. The refurbishment works have been funded by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), who facilitated a Local Growth Fund contribution of £6.3 million, together with £3.06 million from the European Regional Development Fund. The hub, which is managed by Oxford Innovation Space, has already created quite a buzz, with plenty of interest from prospective tenants and businesses booking to use the space. Centre manager Garrick Hurter said: “We have been busy preparing the centre ready for everyone to see, getting signage approved and making sure all the infrastructure is raring to go. Now we are proud to open our doors and welcome the business community, who I know will be wowed by the incredible facilities on offer. “Our thriving creative community begins today, and I am excited to welcome you all. Whether you’re a start-up or want to scale up, we want to hear from you. Get in touch and make use of this extraordinary space.” It is estimated that Vulcan Works will support around 150 start-up businesses in its first 10 years, creating around 500 jobs in the area. The centre has also pledged to work with local contractors and agencies, ploughing more money back into the local economy. “Vulcan Works has been a hugely exciting project to be involved with and I am delighted with how the space looks and feels. I am immensely proud that Northampton now boasts such an innovative and inspirational hub for fledgling creative start-ups, giving them the tailored support they need to flourish. I look forward to seeing the countless success stories that will, no doubt, come from this fantastic venture,” said Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth.