Creating better connections between our key public spaces and buildings is at the centre of our Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project.
New paving, seating, lighting, planting, and street furniture will combine to create better-looking and better-connected spaces which people can enjoy and socialise in.
Improvements will improve the look, flow and feel of the town centre, and will focus on the following areas:
Packers Row
Work to install higher quality paving, seating and street furniture was completed in early 2023. This better connects the space through to the new-look Elder Way and Northern Gateway.
Market Place
A multi-million pound investment will revitalise our historic market. Our plans will create a modern, vibrant town centre experience with additional space alongside our traditional markets to host outdoor events, speciality markets and entertainment.
Market Square
Plans include a new layout to make it easier to walk around our historic market, new stalls with modern facilities for traders, and vibrant new market stall canopies in heritage colours. We’ll also be making the historic Town Pump a unique feature in this space.
New Square
Our plans will create an attractive and flexible space that will complement the main market and speciality markets, but can also be used to host festivals, events, cultural celebrations, and community gatherings – bringing our town centre to life.
Spire Walk
We will work in partnership with the Church of St Mary and All Saints to create a more welcoming and attractive space in which to enjoy our iconic Crooked Spire, this includes imaginative new lighting that will enhance the appearance of the spire at night and link into Rykneld Square.
Rykneld Square
Rykneld Square will be transformed to create a more welcoming, green space from which to enjoy our much-loved Crooked Spire, and better connect this landmark to the town centre.
Corporation Street
Improved paving and lighting will revamp this key gateway to the town centre and provide a welcoming environment for visitors to the refurbished theatre and museum. This will provide an attractive and welcoming new gateway to the refurbished Stephenson Memorial Hall (which houses the Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum).
It will complement ongoing work to regenerate Chesterfield Market, the Northern Gateway and – at the other side of town – will connect with plans to transform the area around Chesterfield Station.
Together with the major refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall the town centre improvements are being brought forward thanks to almost £20m which Chesterfield Borough Council secured from the levelling up fund.