Future of Chesterfield Hotel site set to be decided

An outline planning application – which seeks to build offices and a car park with around 40 spaces at the Malkin Street site – is recommended to be given conditional permission at a Chesterfield Borough Council meeting on Monday.

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The application has been submitted by Prestige Hotels (Midlands) Ltd, which owns the former hotel building, and Chesterfield Borough Council.

Last year, the council approved proposals to demolish the prominent property, which has been vacant since 2015 and become a target for crime.

In a letter to the council, Chesterfield Civic Society said it was ‘not convinced that an office development is the best use of the site’.

It added: “We believe that there is an arguable case for a hotel/restaurant catering for visitors to the nearby theatres and users of the station, as well as general trade.

“Another possibility which might be worth considering is to develop the site as student accommodation for the nearby Chesterfield campus of the University of Derby.

“We are also doubtful as to whether enough parking has been included in the scheme.”

The civic society continued: “We are not clear why the borough council is associated with this application, since it does not own the site.

“We hope that the council has made suitably searching enquiries as to the financial standing of its co-applicant before committing public funds to this project.”

In response, a council officer stated: “The comments made by the civic society raise a number of points which are not material planning considerations.

“It is noted that they make several suggested alternative development proposals which in their view are more suited to the site, however the local planning authority is required to consider the merits of the application as submitted.

“It is noted that questions over the relationship of applicants is queried, however the identity of the applicant (even if it is the council and another) is immaterial to the planning issues which are required to be considered.”

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