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Ringwood Hall: a curious planning decision?
The borough council’s planning officers have recently refused an application from the owner of the Ringwood Hall Hotel to convert a derelict kitchen garden some distance from the main house (which is grade II listed) into a spa. We find this decision a little surprising. The kitchen garden is not itself listed and the application…
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The scandal of Hurst House and the Chesterfield Schools Foundation
In the past we have made repeated references to the failure of Derbyshire county council over many years properly to discharge its obligations as sole trustee of the second largest charity in Chesterfield. Unfortunately this scandal still continues, as we explain in this post. As we have previously explained, there are two unrelated issues here.…
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Our thoughts on the Chesterfield to Staveley Regeneration Route
The county council recently announced a route for a new road to run from the north-eastern edge of Chesterfield to the north of Brimington, ending at Staveley. At first sight, this scheme might be mistaken for a revival of the age-old plans for a bypass to relieve Brimington and Staveley of through traffic, but it’s…
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Heritage Open Days progress
We are making steady progress in our efforts to make more of Heritage Week in September. We have a more or less final list of buildings we would like to see opened to the public, and will now write to their owners in the hope that they will able to cooperate. The first to respond…
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Dunston Hall barn application: our views
The society has made known its views on a recent planning application for the conversation of one of the listed (Grade II) outbuildings at Dunston Hall into a wedding venue. We have carried out an assessment of the necessary planning documents submitted to Chesterfield Borough Council and feel that the building is probabaly quite a…
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New plaque unveiled
The latest in our series of blue plaques – celebrating buildings and people around Chesterfield – has been unveiled at the University of Derby’s Sheffield Road premises – once St Helena Girls’ High School. The plaque, unveiled on 7 March 2022, marks the former school and its architect George Henry Widdows – recognised as a…
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Further complaint on Chesterfield East–West Walking and Cycling Route lodged
Three Civic Society members with a particular interest in the Chesterfield East–West Walking and Cycling Route have compiled a separate statement of objections to the scheme, based on its serious flaws. This is additional to that submitted some time ago by the society. This new complaint concentrates on four aspects of the scheme, relating to…
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Latest society blue plaque
Our latest blue plaque will be unveiled in early March 2022 at the former St Helena Girls’ High School – now the University of Derby, on Sheffield Road. The event is by invitation only. Our thanks to the University of Derby for allowing the plaque to be fixed to the building – which is an…
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News updates
We are very pleased that our local newspaper – the Derbyshire Times – is covering issues with which the civic society has interest. Some of the more recent articles are linked below. Crow Lane closure issues – 14 February 2022 The Victoria Centre – 10 February 2022 Abercrombie Street planning application – 11 February 2022…
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