Former Queen's Park Sports Centre in Chesterfield to be demolished?

The future of the former Queen's Park Sports Centre in Chesterfield is expected to be decided at the end of this month.
The former Queen's Park Sports Centre in ChesterfieldThe former Queen's Park Sports Centre in Chesterfield
The former Queen's Park Sports Centre in Chesterfield

It has stood empty since the building closed at the end of last year to make way for a new £11.25m sports centre on the Queen’s Park Annexe site further along Boythorpe Road.

Now Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee will decide if the building can be demolished, with landscaping of the site carried out until plans are developed for the future use of the land.

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The council says the existing building has to be demolished because it is no longer economically viable.

As a result of the application going to the planning committee, a public consultation on future use of the old site will take place between Monday September 12 and Friday October 21.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, cabinet member for town centre and visitor economy, said: “Now a date has been set to hear the planning application seeking permission to demolish the old sports centre building we are turning our attention to the future use of the site.

“We have been researching a whole range of potential options for the site and assessing whether they are viable from a planning perspective, as we need to protect the historic grade two star listing of the neighbouring park, by ensuring any future use is compatible with that leisure setting.

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“In this time of cuts to council finances we also need to ensure that whatever goes on the site is either cost neutral or generates income for the council that can then be used to help towards the costs of running Queen’s Park and future improvements to that site.”

This week, security fencing has been installed around part of the site to address concerns about anti-social behaviour around the park and to prevent vandalism or potential break-ins. The council says it is not related to the plans for demolition.