Blaze-hit garages in Staveley to be demolished

The block of 16 garages on Devonshire Close were damaged beyond repair by fire in November last year.

Chesterfield Borough Council chiefs have now recommended the structures are demolished and replaced by a marked car park.

Borough council documents state: “On the night of 20 November 2016, the 16 garages within one of the blocks suffered extensive damage, resulting from a fire which is believed to have been started deliberately in garage six.

“Garage six, which was the seat of the fire, contained both a car and gas canisters.

“As a result, the fire spread both to the left and the right of this garage causing the roof to fully collapse across three garages and for the structure of the block to be affected.”

A spokesman for Derbyshire Constabulary said: “At about 10pm on Sunday, November 20, a car parked next to garages on Devonshire Close, Staveley, was allegedly set fire to and the flames soon spread to the garages.”

The garages were let to individuals, either council tenants or private residents.

After the blaze, options were put forward including repairing the garages to make them suitable for re-letting, demolishing and replacing them with a marked out car park and demolishing them and replacing them with new ones.

n Michael Davies, 36, of Blunt Avenue, Mastin Moor, and Jon Wheatcroft, 25, of Edale Road, Mastin Moor, have been charged with arson and assault and will appear at Chesterfield magistrates’ court on March 30.