Major Derbyshire business development facing new six-year delay

A huge Derbyshire business development, set to create more than 2,000 jobs, appears to have been delayed for another six years in a disagreement over its ‘completion’ date.
Planned development of the Coalite site in Bolsover may not now be completed until 2030. Photo: Google EarthPlanned development of the Coalite site in Bolsover may not now be completed until 2030. Photo: Google Earth
Planned development of the Coalite site in Bolsover may not now be completed until 2030. Photo: Google Earth

The former Coalite chemical plant on the outskirts of Bolsover has been cleared up over the past four years to make way for what will be a colossal business park covering 105 acres.

It has been dubbed an eyesore and health hazard by residents who also fear it cannot be sufficiently made safe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Last summer, the developers behind the scheme said their original plans to build 660 homes alongside a raft of business space had been scrapped due to the realignment of HS2 through the site.

It said the business space would instead be substantially increased and work would start in 2020 and be complete by 2024.

The original plan had been to see the scheme completed by the end of the 2019/2020 financial year.

However, papers published by Derbyshire County Council ahead of a cabinet meeting on July 9 say the expected completion date is now 2030.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bolsover Land Limited, a joint venture between St Francis Group and iSec, started work on the ‘Horizon 29’ development close to Junction 29a of the M1 earlier this year.

In April, the firms said the delivery of the first completed plots were expected by 2021 with further applications for the rest of the site.

It upholds this position and the potential delay appears to be a difference in definition of ‘complete’ – with the developer leaning towards the first buildings being ready to lease and the council erring towards full site completion and projected job creation.

This was confirmed by the council.

Meanwhile, the council and developer appear to disagree about the impact of HS2’s realignment on the development.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A county council spokesman said: “The change from mixed-use development to wholly industrial and commercial usage and securing the necessary regulatory approvals delayed the project development stages.

“As you say, this was caused by HS2.

“The physical works in terms of completing the remediation, constructing the necessary infrastructure and preparing the development plots for sale and development will be completed by the 2024 date.

“The 2030 date in the council plan refresh reflects an end-date when all proposed new buildings are sold and fully occupied by businesses who have created new jobs.”

Gareth Williams, the development director for St Francis Group, said: “Our intention is to complete the development of the site as soon as possible.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“HS2 will not delay development beyond the timeline of our current business plan.

“Subject to occupiers’ demand for the consented units, the intention is still to complete development by the end of 2024 at the latest.

“The plots will all be development-ready by quarter two of 2021.

Off-site infrastructure improvements will begin shortly.”

However, Mr Williams provided a ‘recent’ marketing brochure for the scheme which says construction will start in quarter four of 2020 – during which plots would also be available for rent or purchase.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said he had ‘no idea’ why the council had estimated completion as 2030 and not 2024.

Initial costs for the Coalite development had been £23 million.

The site had operated as a coal mine from 1936 until 2004 – employing thousands of people during that time.

At its peak, in 1972, the Bolsover site employed 1,200 people.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bolsover Land Limited bought the land in 2012 with an aim to both regenerate a large contaminated brownfield site and to help reduce the pressure on the protected north Derbyshire green belt.

Costly work to remediate the site to bring it into use has been taking place since 2016 – with delays obtaining permits from the Environment Agency hindering progress.

In January 2017, the Environment Agency investigated reports of odours coming from the toxic old Coalite site caused by the remediation process.