Details of £24m Clay Cross town centre regeneration plans to be finalised

Officers from North East Derbyshire District Council (NEDDC) are putting together business cases each of the projects that make up the Clay Cross Town Deal, which are due to be submitted in Autumn.

In a meeting of the authority’s Growth Scrutiny Committee yesterday (May 9), Assistant Director of Economic Development Karl Apps explained the current plans for the funding.

The Market Street and Bridge Street regeneration projects are aimed at highlighting the historic features of the town and making them work cohesively with the modern additions, including Aldi and Tesco supermarkets.

Mr Apps said the idea was to create a market town feeling, with commercial, retail, residential and leisure units grouped around a ‘market square’ in Market Street.

He said there were three low carbon initiatives made up of a low carbon energy network strategy, as well as low carbon workspace and housing.

The use of mine water to provide heating and hydrogen are being explored as part of these projects.

Plans are in place to overhaul Sharley Park Leisure Centre, transforming it into the Sharley Park Community Hub.

Mr Apps said the idea was to turn the facility into the ‘heart of the community’, with the hope of increasing footfall to the town centre.

The existing Adult Education Centre will be refurbished and become the Clay Cross Enterprise Hub, offering a new learning space and bespoke training.

Mr Apps said NEDDC officers had canvassed the area and worked with Chesterfield College and Derbyshire County Council to gain an understanding of the courses that needed to be delivered.

He commented: “What we want to do is make sure that enterprise hub reflects the skills that businesses that are operating around Clay Cross are telling us that they need.”

Clay Cross Connections will look at ways at alleviating congestion and traffic concerns in the town and the authority has also carried out car parking assessments to prepare for the anticipated increase in visitors.

A railway station feasibility study will be carried out to lay the groundwork for a potential stop in the town.

Mr Apps explained that creating a new train station took a lot of time and money and it would not be delivered within the time frame of the town deal, however if having a feasibility assessment in place now meant the authority would be prepared to apply for any Government funding that might become available in the future.

The Clay Cross Creative project addresses the cultural offer of the town, which Mr Apps described as ‘raising aspiration’.

He explained that the £24million Government funding would not cover the cost of all ten projects in their entirety, rather it was looked upon as ‘seed money to attract other investment’.

While funding has been secured for some projects, such as Sharley Park, other projects require match funding from external organisations and the council itself.

The Government awarded the town deal funding on the condition that it be spent by 2026.