Developer wins battle to create 55 new apartments in Chesterfield town centre

Chesterfield Borough Council has approved plans from the ALB Group to create 36 new homes in the vacant first and second floors of Burlington House, on Burlington Street.

The developer will construct the apartments under a revised scheme, following the council’s refusal to grant planning permission to the group a year ago.

Arran Bailey, managing director of Nottingham based ALB Group, said: “We are over the moon to have achieved planning consent. It has been a long drawn out process and we are happy that the best result has been achieved for all.”

ALB say they are delighted to be able to bring the upper floors back into use in a way which enhances the town centre, providing quality, hi-spec apartments for those seeking town centre living and convenience.

The conversion of the upper floors into apartments is expected to take 50 weeks to complete.

Tenant retailers occupying the ground floor, including H Samuel, BetFred, Bird's Bakery and Max Speilman, will continue to operate as that part of the building will be retained for commercial use.

ALB Group bought the four-storey, 37,000 sq ft building for a seven-figure sum in 2020 and submitted an application to the borough council for planning permission to create apartments.

A council spokesman said at the time that the application had been turned down “due to the poor quality of the accommodation that has been proposed” - and said it would “welcome any revised plans for the site to bring this building back into use in a way which enhances the town centre and meets the requirements set out in our Local Plan.”