Decontamination of the former Coalite site in Derbyshire has been granted £5.8million, through the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
The former Coalite Chemicals site, a total of 59 hectares located in both Bolsover and north-east Derbyshire, was a main manufacturing plant for smokeless fuels from 1937 until 2004, when operations closed down. It has remained vacant since then.
Planning permission has already been granted by Bolsover District Council to use the site for employment land and by North East Derbyshire District Council for residential use. Bolsover Land Limited, a joint venture between redevelopment specialists Marcol and the St Francis Group, acquired the site in 2012.
The D2N2 LEP – the private sector-led partnership which promotes economic and jobs growth across its area of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – has now granted £5.8m towards work to remove chemical contaminants on the site, as a precursor to developing it. Derbyshire County Council applied for the funding.
A meeting of the Infrastructure and Investment Board (IIB), which receives and considers applications for funding from D2N2’s allocation of £192million in Local Growth Fund monies, voted to grant the major investment, subject to approval of the business plan for the project.
The decision follows the Derbyshire County Council Cabinet’s decision to approve £2million for the project, on October 11.
It is estimated that, once cleaned up and developed, the former Coalite site could support 1,525 jobs and 660 dwellings.
The land decontamination and infrastructure works would be carried out in four phases, with work expected to begin this December (2016) and to be completed in three years’ time (December 2019).
David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, (pictured above) said: “The Coalite site has great potential to drive the north Derbyshire and wider economy, which is why we have been working with local partners on gaining significant funding for it from our current £192million Local Growth Fund allocation.”
D2N2’s £192million Local Growth Fund allocation was awarded to D2N2 by central government to fund infrastructure in the LEP’s area – including roads, skills and training facilities, and buildings to help the expansion of key commercial sectors – which will grow the economy and jobs in the area over a six year period (up to 2020).
More information on the Coalite site regeneration plans can be found at development consultation website www.coalite-regeneration.com
Media wishing to know more about the work of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership can contact Sean Kirby, D2N2 Communications Manager, on 0115 957 8749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
