Safety concerns at 'eyesore' former Chesterfield Hotel after wall collapses onto pavement

Onlookers said about 5m of the boundary wall of the car park behind the former hotel, on Malkin Street, had collapsed over the weekend.

Philip Riden, chairman of Chesterfield Civic Society, said the brick rubble left behind was partly blocking the pavement and a wooden post was creating a ‘significant trip hazard’.

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"A further length of about 5m is leaning towards the pavement and appears to be prevented from falling only by posts supporting a Derbyshire County Council direction sign,” Mr Riden added.

He urged highways teams to arrange for the rubble to be removed as soon as possible and the wall made safe – and said it raised questions about the length of time it was taking to demolish the hotel and clear the site.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said it had carried out the work on Monday.

She said: “We inspected the area this morning and spoke to contractors working on the Chesterfield Hotel site regarding the debris on the footway.

"They cleared the loose bricks immediately and committed to moving the rest today (Monday). We will check to ensure this has been carried out satisfactorily tomorrow.”

Mr Riden added: "It seems to me to strengthen the case for getting the building demolished and the site cleared, perhaps for use as a temporary car park, as soon as possible before someone gets injured or worse.

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"It doesn't seem to me sensible to wait until there is a plan for redeveloping the site, which could be years.”

He described the hotel as a ‘major eyesore’ and said if the wall collapsed in stages it posed a danger to the public.

Last year, Chesterfield Borough Council passed plans to demolish the former hotel building.

In March, councillors approved an outline planning application to build offices and a 40-space car park at the site.

The proposals were submitted by Prestige Hotels (Midlands) Ltd, which has owned the property since 2017, and the council.

Chesterfield Hotel, formerly the Station Hotel, opened in 1877 and closed in 2015.

Prestige Hotels has been approached for comment.

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