- ‘The Pencil Works’ Enterprise Hub Building
‘The Pencil Works’ Enterprise Hub Building
‘The Pencil Works’ Enterprise Hub
We are creating a central focus through a new building, called the Pencil Works, offering high-quality facilities to support the town aims of becoming a great place to visit, work and do business.
The building is projected to create 50 jobs and 1,000 square meters of new retail, leisure and office space.
Plans include:
- Creative makers’ space for specialist craftspeople and artists
- Retail units including for food/drinks outlets
- Public toilets (relocated from Cliffe Hill)
- Disabled parking and bicycle storage
- Flexible office space for small businesses
Work is likely to start in May 2025 with completion around 12 months later.
The architect’s visualisations are subject to change as plans develop over the coming months in partnership with local people.
A drop-in event took place on Monday 28 October for local people to meet the team and ask questions.
The plans can be viewed online - search for application 24/00669/REG3 – Planning Application Pencil works – Planning Application Portal (opens in a new window).
The inspiration for the name 'The Pencil Works' has been taken from Stapleford’s historic F. Chambers & Company Limited Pencil Works factory which resided on Broad Oak Drive from 1915 until 1973. The company was the first to manufacture cosmetic pencils for Boots in 1931. While they sold their business in the 1990s, the Chambers’ family still produce pencils in Stapleford.
New car park, Derby Road
As part of the Pencil Works development, work has also started in October on a new car park at 131 Derby Road that will replace the current Victoria Street car park.
Forty-four spaces will be transferred to 131 Derby Road, with the addition of six disabled car parking bays and four EV charging spots.
Work is expected to take around three months with plans for the current car park to relocate by March 2025, ahead of construction work starting on The Pencil Works.