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As we start the new year we’d like to take the opportunity to look back at some of the many activities and achievements and also look forward to the plans that we already have for the coming twelve months.
2024 was the year that we celebrated our 20th Anniversary of the very successful public-private sector partnership of HBD and Derbyshire County Council working together to deliver Markham Vale. To mark this milestone, the partners launched a short film featuring key figures who have driven the regeneration.
Watch now and discover how the area has been transformed and 2,700 jobs created to date - and learn more about our two decades of great stories and achievements.
Click on the image below to view the video
 During our 20th anniversary year we welcomed a number of new businesses to Markham Vale. Businesses who chose to invest and grow their business at the region's largest business park included Restore Records Management Ltd, Lydia’s Cake Studio and Vege UK Ltd. All the buildings at Markham Vale are now occupied, but don’t worry as we have exciting plans to bring more new units to the market over the coming months; read on for further details.
During the year Gridserve commenced construction works on their Electric Vehicle forecourt which is planned to be completed and operational towards the end of 2025.
 On land adjacent to the forecourt we secured planning approval for the Markham Vale Trade Park. This addition will create a useful facility right on the doorstep for existing businesses at Markham Vale as it will be home to ‘trade counter businesses’. These are suppliers to particular trades, often at discounted prices.
The Trade Park will also include opportunities for other small businesses and could create more than 100 new jobs. All the new buildings will be energy efficient in line with Net Zero ambitions for the county council and HBD. For more information about the availability of these units click on the image below.
 Construction started on an exciting new development on the first phase of Staveley Waterside at Staveley Town Basin – the building, branded The Moorings, comprises eleven small business units spread over two floors in an attractive waterfront setting. Triton Construction and their teams of designers are on track to hand over the keys to the building in late April 2025. Work is also progressing on completing the construction of Crossland Drive, the new road that provides access to the site. Marketing of the units has commenced with the objective of attracting local and small businesses to create new jobs and to increase footfall to benefit the economy of Staveley.
 In other exciting news, HBD in partnership with Feldberg Capital, have launched a new UK focused industrial and logistics platform, Origin. The joint venture includes 9-acres of development at Markham Vale with consent for four units totalling 107,000sq ft. We plan to bring more detailed news about this development in next month’s newsletter.
2024 also saw the opening of a new 2.2km section of a traffic free route through Markham Vale. The new length starts next to the Environment Centre and largely follows the course of the Doe Lea river under the M1 motorway, where it meets with Seymour Link Road. The route connects with other previously completed sections of walking and cycling trails – all designed to help people to safely walk and cycle to and from work. The network of paths and trails also provides fantastic leisure routes for local residents and visitors to the site.
Meanwhile on Enterprise Way, work is underway to complete the construction of a combined footway/cycleway along the western side of the road. This is being constructed in conjunction with other work to form the new accesses to the remaining development sites.
The Environment Centre, as well as providing a supported environment to a number of growing and successful businesses, also continues to thrive as a conference, training and meeting venue. The number of businesses and organisations that use the facilities and the range of meetings, courses and events that are held there are far too vast to mention but every week is different and the level of vibrancy that is generated is a wonder to behold. Trudi and her colleague Steph manage the Environment Centre in addition to the excellent work that they do in helping to manage the Site Facilities Service to the wider Markham Vale site.
To the rear of the Environment Centre, terms have been agreed for the sale and future development of a small plot that was only brought to the market last year. As soon as we are able to, we will provide more details on this new phase.
During the year, we continued our work with local community groups and businesses with their community support initiatives who are all helping us to make Markham Vale an even better asset for all who either live around the site, work at businesses based here, or who visit.
The Markham Vale conservation volunteers work in all kinds of weather conditions to undertake regular bird, butterfly and other species surveys and habitat improvement work. Despite, at times, challenging weather conditions the Markham Vale species list grew by 179 up to 910 during 2024. The majority of these being moths caught by light trapping during the hours of darkness. Other notable increases include two new birds for site, Waxwing and Mealy Redpoll, Black Swan was also recorded but it's not on the British List so is classed as an escapee and doesn't count, we may also lose a species as the Taxonomists may "lump" Mealy/Arctic/Lesser Redpoll together into Redpoll (Editor’s note – I’ve be told that it's complicated!} A new mammal was discovered during a work party on the North Tip when eagle eyed Sid spotted a distinctive but tiny Harvest Mouse nest.
The full current list is: Butterfly (26), Dragonfly/Damselfly (22), Mammal (10), Amphibian/Reptile (6), Plant (176), Tree/Shrub (24), Bee (5), Insect (88), Fungus (63), Moss/Lichen (3), Grass/Sedge (24), Moth (326), Bird (129), Spider (4) and Everything Else (4).
The volunteers modestly say “that as seen from the above list we are quite good at recording some species, others not so good and some where our knowledge is fairly basic. Example - If you were to have a walk round Markham Vale you'd be unlikely to add any new bird/butterfly/dragonfly, have a decent chance of adding a new Fungus/Plant and could probably add a new Spider/Insect/Bee without leaving the car park!” We think that they are far too modest – they are doing an excellent job! The results give a great indication of the wonderful attractive environment and landscape that has been created and which continues to improve.
Many businesses and their employees do many hours of voluntary work to raise much needed money for lots of worthwhile causes; from baking cakes and hosting coffee mornings and through to pulling a 70ft long canal boat, litter picking, gardening, sky diving, installing a defibrillator, sponsoring football teams as well as playing the game, and going the extra mile to collecting money and gifts. They have raised thousands of pounds for various charities and community support intitaives – all too many and varied to mention. A number of companies also provide excellent support to a number of local schools, colleges and universities on careers advice and student mentoring.
We’d like to wish all of these organisatons and individuals a big thankyou and well done.
Brand Experience Vehicle starts its journey from Markham Vale
The Bilstein Group, based on Markham Vale North, have launched a Brand Experience Vehicle 🔧⚙️🔩🔴🔵 …which they’ve nicknamed ‘BEV’, for short!
Check out their video below to see what you’ll find onboard BEV 👇
 The aim of this vehicle is to have each visitor leave with a greater understanding of the company’s brands and product ranges than when they first arrived.
In the new year, BEV is officially leaving Markham Vale to start its journey across the UK to garages and workshops, with its first visits in the North East.
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Kranlee Logistics Limited, based at the Environment Centre, finished the year by being awarded yet another award to add to their ever growing list of plaudits and awards.
The company have just recently been officially recognised as the Best Freight Forwarding Company – East Midlands according to the SME 2024 Business Elite Awards!
From delivering solutions to moving mountains, the company are proud to represent the very best of logistics in the region.
Well done to the Kranlee team.
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Netherthorpe School want to make contact with businesses who can offer work experience placements. Netherthorpe now has two weeks in the school calendar that are specifically allocated to work experience (one for Year 12 and one for Year 10 students) – this is where students go to local businesses to engage in a meaningful world of work experience. Currently students are having issues finding placements, so please do make contact.
The dates for the week experience weeks are as follows:
Year 12 – 3rd- 7th Feb 2025
Year 10 – 30th June – 4th July 2025
The school are interested in finding work experience opportunities/placements in any of the following industries/sectors:
□ Administration, Business and Office Work
□ Building and Construction
□ Catering and Hospitality
□ Computers and IT
□ Design, Arts and Crafts
□ Education and Training
□ Engineering
□ Environment, Animals and Plants
□ Financial Services
□ Healthcare
□ Languages, Information and Culture
□ Legal and Political Services
□ Leisure, Sport and Tourism
□ Manufacturing and Production
□ Marketing and Advertising
□ Media, Print and Publishing
□ Performing Arts
□ Personal and Other Services
□ Retail Sales and Customer Service
□ Science, Mathematics and Statistics
□ Security and Armed Forces
□ Social Work and Counselling Services
□ Transport and Logistics
If you think that you mau have any opportunities then please contact Ms Debs Taylor by email DTaylor@netherthorpe.derbyshire.sch.uk
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