Bid for hostel in industrial part of Chesterfield to accommodate visitors on outdoor activity trips is scuppered by council planners

Paul Coelho and Gerry Cahill wanted to change the use of the Beavers building on Dunston Road, Chesterfield which they bought in a state of disrepair in July 2024.

Originally built as a ‘mini hospital’ in the 1940s to serve the industrial workers, the premises have housed a taxi firm, a heating and plumbing business and an electric bikes company at various times over the past 30 years. In a planning statement to the council, Paul and Gerry said that the building was last used as an illegal cannabis growing plant after being sub-let to a tenant between 2017 and 2024.

Their ambition for the building was motivated by their difficulties in finding group accommodation for activity trips when they regularly visited Derbyshire for 25 years prior to moving into the county. They wanted to provide flexible accommodation for eight visitors taking part in outdoor activities such as walking, climbing, paragliding and canoeing.

The plan included creating a lounge, dining room, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen area and space for educational use as well as safe storage for expensive equipment which guests would bring with them.

Repairs to the building so far had involved addressing damp, water ingress, drainage, window replacement. They added: “If successful with our proposal, we will install completely new electrics, heating and lighting, whilst improving the EPC rating as much as is possible with new technology, installed to the latest regulations, energy saving options and using the best insulation techniques available.”

Their planning statement said that adjoining businesses work from 8am to 6pm and there had been no night working since the steel works closed.

However, a council officer’s report stated: “It is unclear what the noise levels of the surrounding businesses currently are, especially during nighttime hours which raises the question if this would make the unit unacceptable for sleeping in overnight. In addition, the overnight accommodation use may adversely limit the long-term operation and expansion of the neighbouring businesses in a strategic employment area, as the business uses, opening hours and associated noise levels could change in the future. On this basis, it is considered that an overnight residential use would not be appropriate in this industrial location.”

The application by Paul Coelho, of Pratt Hall, Cutthorpe for change of use of the building to activities retreat/workshop for tourists with overnight stays was refused by the council’s planning committee based on the officer’s recommendation.