Legal matters continue to delay Chesterfield Co-op redevelopment

Legal matters are continuing to delay a £10.5million project to revitalise Chesterfield's former Co-op building.
An artist's impression of how the Elder Way development will look. Picture submitted.An artist's impression of how the Elder Way development will look. Picture submitted.
An artist's impression of how the Elder Way development will look. Picture submitted.

Work to transform the Elder Way site into a hotel, six restaurants and a health and fitness centre had been due to begin in May.

In September, four months after the scheme had not started, developers said work was expected to get underway in October 'subject to concluding some outstanding legal impediments which have been delaying our commencement'.

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This week, Adam Hearld, development director at Jomast Developments Ltd, said: "Legal matters are still delaying the project but we’re on the cusp of resolving them."

The exact nature of the legal matters has not been publicly disclosed.

Mr Hearld added: "This is a hugely important and exciting opportunity to revitalise a significant landmark building and create a vibrant leisure destination in the heart of Chesterfield town centre."

Central England Co-operative, which still owns the landmark building, is working with Jomast Developments Ltd to transform it - while still retaining many of its original features.

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So far, it has been confirmed that an 89-bedroom Premier Inn hotel and Beefeater restaurant will form part of the eagerly-anticipated project.

Other occupiers have not yet been revealed.

A Premier Inn spokesman said: "We are committed to the project and we're working through the final details with the developer."

The spokesman added the hotel is expected to open sometime in 2018.

Nicholas Johnston, acquisitions manager for Premier Inn, previously said: "Chesterfield is an excellent location and, as well as attracting new visitors to the area, the new hotel will deliver fresh investment and create 60 new jobs for the local area."

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It will be the third Premier Inn in the Chesterfield area - the company already has hotels off Rother Way and in Eastmoor.

The prominent Co-op building has remained empty since the department store closed in 2013.

As previously reported, the scheme to redevelop the site is part of the first phase of the Northern Gateway masterplan.