Issue - meetings

The Head of Business Growth presented the report to the Committee to update Members on activities which had been carried out at Pleasley Vale Business Park.

P&D Environmental had continued with flood remediation works – work to remove the trees and growth had been undertaken prior to the nesting season, and repairs to the dam wall were underway following the fabrication and installation of the access bridge in May 2025.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Wild Solutions team had been instructed to conduct a baseline Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessment ahead of proposed tree removal and embankment / dam wall repair works.  The Baseline Assessment had been undertaken February 2025 (ahead of planned works in March 2025).

The assessment had been undertaken to gather the necessary data required by the Statutory Biodiversity Metric Tool – the overall baseline had been calculated at 4.92 Habitat Units.

In December 2024, the Council had approved funds for investment for identified schemes and additional repairs and works to the mill buildings.  The Council had further approved a recommendation for Members to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to establish the post and budget of a Building Surveyor / Contractors Administrator into the Property Services Team of Dragonfly Management (Bolsover) Ltd. (DMBL), to be appointed to manage and oversee the building works and repairs.

Works had commenced under this programme of work – the Senior Engineer of DMBL had instructed a survey of the drains to identify defects, with a scope of systematically working through the site to carry out repairs on the critical lengths that served the current facilities.

Structural surveys had been commissioned for different buildings and structures which were showing signs of deterioration.  Works had also commenced on surveying the roof of Mill 1, with a scope for further surveys to be undertaken summer 2025.

A Member appreciated the level of work involved and asked if the Council’s tenants were comfortable with the current situation.  The Head of Business Growth informed the Council maintained good relations with tenants and where tenants had to be relocated, the Council had only lost 2 tenants (due to the alternate accommodation proving unsuitable for those tenants).

With regards the temporary toilets being utilised (due to necessary repairs to waste systems), the Council was endeavouring to work quickly and financially efficiently to resolve the situation.

To a question on acquiring future tenants, the Head of Business Growth stated no tendering of available spaces was being made until the site’s current situation had improved.

Moved by Councillor Jeanne Raspin and seconded by Councillor Duncan Haywood

RESOLVED that Members note the contents of the report.