Green light for Chesterfield shops and flats plan

NJGC Developments Ltd, of Wingerworth, Chesterfield, aims to carry out some demolition work at the building before creating three ground floor shop units and six one-bedroom, first and second floor apartments at the property on High Street, at Old Whittington, in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield Borough Cllr Barry Bingham, who voted with the borough council planning committee to approve the development, said: “The flats at the rear of the property, at the moment – to this property – are dire and it’s long overdue for a good tidy-up and this application deals with that quite nicely.”

The council planning committee voted unanimously at a meeting on August 21 to grant planning permission for the development at High Street next to Station Lane junction, at Old Whittington.

There are currently two retail units on the ground floor of the building with a residential unit between them with access to three first and second floor apartments along with a car parking and service area at the rear accessed from Station Lane.

A previous planning application for a larger development at the site with 11 apartments had been refused in 2021 because it was deemed ‘incongruous’ and ‘detrimental’ to the street scene and setting of nearby listed buildings including Revolution House.

The existing building due for development will be kept as part of the new plans with the roof and eaves to be raised to create more internal floorspace and a new two-and-a-half storey addition will be created at the rear of the building with new dormer windows at both the front and rear.

It will also include off-street parking for five vehicles with a cycle shelter and a small outdoor amenity space.

The proposed development is located at the end of a terraced row of properties on High Street, Old Whittington, with a One Stop convenience store at the opposite end.

Two residents raised concerns included highway safety, parking and access and possible coal mining subsidence, but Derbyshire County Council highways authority, Yorkshire Water, and the Coal Authority all raised no objections to the development.