Huge Markham Vale extensions promises 800 Derbyshire jobs

Bolsover District Council Planning Committee Chairman Councillor Tom Munro used his power to cast the deciding vote to approve an extension the size of nine football pitches to the Markham Vale business park, after the number of members for and against the application was tied.

The development has been earmarked for land to the north of the M1 and south west of the Oxcroft junction, Woodshorpe Road, Shuttlewood, and as it partially sits in the neighbouring borough had already been granted permission by Chesterfield Borough Council.

However in the BDC meeting on Wednesday, March 1, Councillor Jim Clifton questioned whether such a large number of potential jobs was ‘a stretch of the imagination’.

He commented: “I’m wondering whether 800 jobs are going to be created, because when we visited the site, the units there, the car parks with about 15 max operating that site.”

Agent Chris Creighton said a nationally accepted government tool had been used to work out the likely number of jobs that would be created, arguing that as businesses grew so too would their workforces and 2,700 people are currently employed at Markham Vale.

Concerns were also raised about the loss of greenfield land, however Councillor Duncan McGregor commented that the site’s location right next to the M1 and benefit to the local economy outweighed the loss of green space.

The project is being delivered by Henry Booth Developments (HBD), working with applicants Devonshire Property Group (DPG), the development arm of the Chatsworth Estate.

Andrew Byrne, of DPG, said: “We are delighted that both planning committees have approved this exciting project.

“This is a high-quality extension to an already successful employment location, and will make a real contribution to the strength of the local economy and the environment.

“It is a further demonstration of how the Devonshire Property business is actively investing into both Chesterfield and Bolsover, delivering on our stated ambitions of creating jobs and opportunities for local communities.

“We look forward to being part of this regeneration, working alongside our joint venture partner HBD.”

To mitigate the loss of green space, the applicant has committed to planting around 5,700 new trees, as well as creating 3.7ha of new grassland and 2km of new native hedgerow to screen the development and create areas of new habitat.