Company owner’s joy as plans approved to turn Chesterfield building into apartments

Property development company Homes by Holmes is to turn North East Derbyshire District Council’s former headquarters on Saltergate into up to 75 ‘high-quality’ one, two and three-bedroom apartments.

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The Sheffield-based firm’s planning application was granted conditional permission by Chesterfield Borough Council this week.

James Holmes, owner of Homes by Holmes, told the Derbyshire Times: “We’re really pleased that the council has engaged with us so readily and got the planning application through in such a timely manner.

“This is a high-profile building and we look forward to the development progressing further.”

Mr Holmes, who grew up working on Chesterfield’s markets, added: “I’ve got a lot of faith in the town and I see it as a big responsibility to regenerate the building and the immediate vicinity.”

The company is currently clearing out the inside of the property, which has lain derelict for six years.

Amid concerns about the building being an ‘eyesore’, Homes by Holmes has taken steps to make the site look more attractive, including by installing colourful banners in the windows to celebrate the Chesterfield in Bloom competition.

Mr Holmes said further planning applications for the development will be submitted ‘in due course’.

“I think we’ll see the first people living there no later than the end of 2022,” he added.

Speaking earlier this month, Mr Homes told the Derbyshire Times: “The building will be brought back to life.

“We’re going to convert it into high-quality apartments in a sympathetic way – we won’t be knocking it down.

“It will have nice landscaping and you'll eventually see tenants walking in and out of the front door.

“I think all that will help to lift the area.”

Mr Holmes said around 40 jobs will be created during the construction phase.

“We’ll be employing local people,” he added.

In 2018, the council gave McCarthy and Stone planning permission to demolish the building and build 64 retirement homes at the site.

However, McCarthy and Stone has scrapped its proposals – but it has not been publicly revealed why.

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