Council sets out £24.1million strategy to transform Clay Cross into a market town

A £24.1million initiative to transform a former mining community into a thriving market town is due to be submitted to central Government for approval in the spring.
Market Street in Clay Cross as it is currentlyMarket Street in Clay Cross as it is currently
Market Street in Clay Cross as it is currently

North East Derbyshire District Council (NEDDC) is working on ten projects as part of the Clay Cross Town Deal, which aims to turn it into a sustainable market town built on ‘enterprise, skills for the 21st Century, innovation and low carbon technology’.

Speaking to a the D2 Joint Committee for Economic Prosperity, Gill Callingham, Director of Growth for NEDDC, said: “Clay Cross hasn’t got a town centre as such – a place people can come together.

“It’s got historic areas that don’t really join up.”

Bridge Street in Clay CrossBridge Street in Clay Cross
Bridge Street in Clay Cross
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She said there was a lot of residential development in the area and residents needed a place such as a market square where they could meet and events could be held.

She added: “We’ve got an opportunity to change how Clay Cross works, making it a thriving town – but it needs that boost.”

The Market Street regeneration project addresses the need for a central space, with plans for mixed use commercial, retail, leisure, workspace and upper floor residential development, as well as a small ‘town square’ events space.

Strategic corridors would then be created from the new centre along Bridge Street to the Tesco and Aldi supermarkets.

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The creation of the Clay Cross Skills and Enterprise Hub would involve the refurbishment of the existing Adult Education Centre and the development of a new learning space, while the Sharley Park Active Community Hub would act as a one stop shop for health and wellbeing services.

Ms Callingham commented that the Clay Cross Creative project aimed to increase the cultural aspects of the town.

She said: “We’re looking at creating that using some of the historic buildings in Clay Cross.”

Work will be done to address traffic management on the A61 High Street, as well as Market Street and Eyre Street.

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The council is looking into potentially harnessing local energy for the purpose of delivering a low carbon network strategy, in addition to a low carbon workspace and housing.

The authority is also assessing the feasibility of creating a new railway station, as the previous one closed in 1967.

The projects must be subitted to the Government by March 24 2022.