Construction of a new Jewson branch on Sheffield Road has been completed. This is a key milestone in the £10.8m joint project, between Chesterfield Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council, to deliver the first phase of the Hollis Lane Link Road.
The new Jewson branch will open its doors on Monday 9 May as it relocates from its former home on Spa Lane.
The move will allow the construction of a new highway from Hollis Lane, extending Spa Lane up to the railway station car park. The Link Road will provide a new gateway from the south as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s ambitious plans to regenerate the area around Chesterfield railway station.
The Jewson development has also delivered wider benefits to Chesterfield – contractors Morgan Sindall Construction have engaged directly with more than 1,000 students from Chesterfield College, Outwood Academy Newbold, The Bolsover School and Shirebrook Academy. The students have been encouraged to consider careers in construction and educated in what skills they will need to gain to pursue successful careers in the sector.
In addition, Morgan Sindall Construction has spent around £1million within the local supply chain, through sourcing building materials from local merchants and employing local sub-contractors for particular construction tasks.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The completion of Jewson’s new Sheffield Road branch signals another positive step forward for our plans to transform the area around Chesterfield railway station.
“The depot will provide a great new base for a much valued local employer, and also brings a longstanding empty site back into productive use.
“Making sure that developments also benefit the wider community is a key priority for us. We welcome the work that Morgan Sindall Construction has done within the local community both in supporting skills development and the local supply chain.”
James Garnett, project director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We are delighted to have completed the new Jewson branch in Chesterfield. Since our appointment, we were determined that our delivery of this project would result in tangible benefits for the wider Chesterfield community.
“By working with closely with the council and local community groups, we’ve been able to achieve just that. We are very proud of the impact that our charity and education work has had on the town, and the opportunities it will afford local people for years to come.”
Jewson is one of the largest builders’ merchants in the UK, with nearly 500 branches located across the country. Its new branch on Sheffield Road will be a one-stop shop for tradespeople and the general public.
Barry Hilling, regional director at Jewson, said: “The development of our new Sheffield Road branch in Chesterfield is part of a wider series of investments we’re making to lessen our impact on the environment, while also supporting our communities.
“Jewson Chesterfield will be one of our first near zero carbon energy branches, fitted with a range of innovative technology, also available to customers through our Making Better Homes range, which will vastly reduce our carbon footprint and reliance on the energy network. We’re delighted to help support the regeneration of the local area and offer tradespeople easy access to more innovative products.”
Councillor Alasdair Sutton, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Support Member for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “This is an important step in the process to develop the Hollis Lane Link Road, as the old Jewson site was needed. The link road will be a key part of the plans for the station area and we look forward to working closely with Chesterfield Borough Council on this important project.”
The Chesterfield Station Masterplan aims to create a welcoming first impression to Chesterfield for visitors by rail. New public realm is planned to establish a sense of arrival as is a boulevard of retail and leisure leading up to Corporation Street and the Crooked Spire. A new transport hub will make onward journeys easier, and a new cycle hub will enable visitors to hire bikes and e-bikes.
The Hollis Lane Link Road will improve access to the railway station from the south and there are plans to replace the existing ‘land hungry’ surface car parks with multi-storey car parks freeing up the land for residential and commercial development.
Construction work on the first phase of the Hollis Lane Link Road is anticipated to begin later this year. The Link Road is part funded through a £3.8m grant from the D2N2 Local Economic Partnership.
