VICAR LANE, CHESTERFIELD
High Street Curation
Overlooked by the famous Crooked Spire, Chesterfield is a picturesque town on the edge of the Peak District which boasts one of the largest outdoor markets in the UK. The Vicar Lane Shopping Centre was bought by Alterx in 2019 who appointed LJA to develop a placemaking vision for the area.
The masterplan aimed to improve the physical environment, introduce vibrancy and colour, augment the visitor experience with leisure and promote a local, community driven retail offer which was felt less like a shopping centre and more appropriate as a collection of town centre streets.
Combined with innovative asset management strategies including the use of social media technology to engage with local start-up businesses, an overarching place brand was developed which amalgamated physically in a phased intervention strategy, driven by an overarching masterplan.
The first phase completed in 2020 and introduced new food & beverage units onto St James’ Square and integrated a large outdoor big-screen and light beacons to create a destination social venue at the heart of the scheme. Future projects include more expansive public realm upgrades, street art projects and the introduction of further leisure including a cinema.
