How Clay Cross is set to be transformed thanks to £24.1m Government Town Deal funding

The town clinched the funding earlier this year – and North East Derbyshire District Council (NEDDC) says the area can look forward to a ‘bright future’.

MORE: Hundreds of jobs and ‘exciting’ regeneration promised for Clay Cross after multi-million pound funding boost

This is how the money will be spent, according to NEDDC.

Market Street Regeneration

The Market Street project will create a new heart to the town centre. The project comprises the redevelopment of land around Market Street and Bridge Street to create a mixed-use scheme of commercial, retail and leisure. There will be workspace development and a small ‘town square’ events space.

Bridge Street

The Bridge Street/Smithy Street project will reinforce the heart of the town centre, importantly adding additional life and vibrancy, providing animation and activity to key linking corridors between the heart of the town centre at Market Street along Bridge Street, towards Tesco and to the Aldi supermarket on High Street.

Clay Cross Creative

The Clay Cross Creative project will act as a focal point to the delivery of creative enterprise, arts and social programmes with a focus on engaging the local community, establishing a creative, artisan and social enterprise.

Clay Cross Skills and Enterprise Hub

The Clay Cross Skills and Enterprise Hub will involve the refurbishment of the existing adult education centre and the development of new learning space, alongside the existing accommodation, to provide a bespoke training, learning and enterprise hub at the heart of Clay Cross.

Sharley Park Active Community Hub

A new healthy and active community hub will be developed for the residents of Clay Cross and the surrounding areas. Residents will be able to undertake physical activity and access health and well-being support services at one site, replacing a dilapidated 1970’s leisure centre and reinvigorating the large adjacent park.

Clay Cross Connections

This project will address issues of traffic management, safety and congestion on the A61 High Street in Clay Cross. It will also include improving traffic movements and road safety on Market Street and Eyre Street. Public realm improvements will invigorate the street scene on High Street and Market Street and along Bridge Street, complementing the new town square and the Market Street and Bridge Street developments.

Low Carbon Workspace

The project will result in new industrial, high-quality, low carbon floor space and will focus on two sites (a former depot on Bridge Street, and Coney Green). It will result in new businesses and jobs being attracted to Clay Cross, and provides an opportunity for new, smaller scale industrial space available for lease to meet local demand.

Low Carbon Housing

Aside from housing delivered through the mixed-use town centre projects at Market Street and Bridge Street, housing delivery will focus on a number of sites in public ownership, including two sites, land at Broadleys and land at Market Street. Both sites are in the ownership of the council and the project will include the former Clay Cross Junior School building.

Low Carbon Energy Network Strategy

This project capitalises on the opportunity afforded by new leisure centre and will also explore other options for providing green energy. The strategy is the first stage in creating a heat network which would lead to lower bills for local residents and businesses, and could include innovative energy generation such as hydrogen and heat from mine-water in redundant coal mines.

Rail Station Feasibility

This project will confirm the feasibility of delivering a rail station for Clay Cross. The previous Clay Cross Station, located to the north of the town, closed in 1967. A rail station would provide regional connectivity for Clay Cross and the adjacent communities of North Wingfield, Wingerworth and Grassmoor (Clay Cross has a wider catchment of upwards of 20,000 people).

Councillor Carolyn Renwick, NEDDC’s cabinet member for economic growth, said: “We have made some great strides forward since the Government funding was awarded.

“There are some fantastic projects outlined and work on the ground has already begun with successfully relocating tenants at Bridge Street depot to facilitate clearance of the site ready for low carbon workspace – bringing vital jobs to the town not just in the construction phase but beyond with interest in the workplaces already.

“The projects are a real mixture of improvements for residents and businesses alike.

“These are incredibly exciting times for Clay Cross and the transformation is underway.”

When the funding was announced, Coun Renwick said: “What an incredible and proud moment this is for Clay Cross and north east Derbyshire.

“To be awarded the full sum we asked for – over £24m – will mean Clay Cross will be an exciting hub of redevelopment, opportunity and prosperity for years to come.

“With many exciting projects planned – and wanted by the residents – this opportunity will really put Clay Cross on the map.

“The jobs which will be created during the construction phase will follow on to a transformation of the town, with opportunities for investment from businesses to come and join the town – with employment opportunities here for this and generations to come.”

A spokesperson for NEDDC said the funding presents a ‘once in a generation opportunity to transform this historic former mining town into a vibrant and low-carbon 21st century market town’.

They added: “The highly-anticipated funding means the town can now look forward to many regeneration projects being started.

“The future of Clay Cross looks incredibly bright.”

MORE: Travellers on Chesterfield playing fields served with eviction notice as taxpayers face clean-up bill

Support your Derbyshire Times by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Visit www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/subscriptions.