Residents react to £4.85m plans to transform Staveley town centre

The regeneration bid includes a new ‘market house’ to host large indoor and outdoor events and a raft of ideas to improve the ‘look, feel and flow’ of Market Square and High Street.

A draft proposal is to go before Chesterfield Borough Council’s Cabinet on November 2 and, if approved, residents will be asked to have their say during a six-week public consultation.

Reacting to the proposal on our Facebook page, most residents welcomed the ideas.

Deborah Moss posted: “Brilliant, get on with it.

“With all the new homes being built it is about time Staveley had the regeneration it needs to make it a better place to live. Fantastic news.”

Wayne Cutts said: “They need to develop one area at a time and concentrate on the town first, then work their away further afield.”

The plans have been brought forward to form part of the regeneration package being delivered under the Staveley Town Deal programme, which has created a ‘golden opportunity’ to breathe new life into the town.

MORE: Council wins £20 million to boost Chesterfield town centre transformation

Coun Paul Mann, leader of Staveley Town Council, said he hoped the town centre could become a place people meet for coffee and provide something different to the town centre offering in Chesterfield.

"I’m hoping we will finally see the two towns in the borough complementing each other,” he said.

Coun Mick Bagshaw, a member of Chesterfield Borough Council and Staveley Town Council, said a facelift for the town centre’s current shops was needed and he also suggested reopening High Street one way for buses to attract more footfall.

He also called for an all-weather market.

"The improvements are welcome, but we need to ensure that these dovetail in with the other projects elsewhere in the town,” Coun Bagshaw added.

The key proposals include:

*Regenerating Market Square, including proposals for a new building called ‘The Market House’ which would create a commercial and community hub, with potential to host large indoor and outdoor and outdoor events;

*Revitalising High Street, including plans to upgrade and improve landscaping, street furniture and cycle parking;

*Unlocking the development potential of underused or derelict sites;

*Installing town centre Wi-Fi;

*Improving signage and adding new walkways.

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