Work on a £300m urban village in Chesterfield could begin in autumn if plans by developer Urbo Regeneration are approved.

The scheme, called Chesterfield Waterside, will see a 40-acre former industrial site adjacent to the A61 in the River Rother corridor developed into a mixed-use waterside neighbourhood. The scheme includes 1,200 homes, along with a retail and business quarter, a landmark public square, ecological park, public open spaces, and strengthened links from the train station to the town centre.

The project will also involve restoration of the local canal network including a new canal basin and arm.

The site will be owned and operated by the Chesterfield Waterside Partnership, a joint venture between Urbo Regeneration and Chesterfield Borough Council. Urbo Regeneration itself is a joint venture between AGD Regeneration, Arnold Laver Group and Bolsterstone Group, which is funding the project.

EDAW Manchester has been appointed as masterplanner and landscape architect, and will be refining the design concept in detail ahead of an outline planning application later this summer.

“Chesterfield Waterside will enable an innovative re-use of mostly derelict land and create a new urban quarter and extension to the town centre. Economic growth will be just one of the benefits to Chesterfield of this forward-looking scheme,” said Pete Swallow, chair of Chesterfield Waterside Partnership and director of Urbo Regeneration.

“The Waterside project is undoubtedly one of the most exciting projects to take place in Chesterfield for many years. It will completely chance the outlook of the area around the station and the A61 corridor, which has been in need of regeneration for some considerable time,” said Ray Russell, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council.