To make it easier to find the information you are looking for, we have grouped frequently asked questions into subject areas. If you can’t find the information you are looking for on this page, you can navigate back to the main Frequently Asked Questions page.
During the works
Why is this work necessary?
The Ashbourne Reborn web pages include links to the bid document which sets out the need for investment in the town, the positive outcomes the programme is intended to deliver, and the economic case for the transformation. You can read them here.
Won’t the projects cause disruption? How is the town centre going to function while all this work is going on?
It is not possible to make these improvements without causing disruption. We are committed to reducing that disruption as much as possible and working closely throughout the project with local residents, businesses and visitors to work out how we can minimise the impact on their daily lives and trade. The County Council have developed traffic management plans to ensure there are appropriate alternative routes during periods when roads are closed in the town centre. We know that local businesses support the changes as they will create a more vibrant town and strengthen the local economy; however, everyone appreciates that delivering the change will be disruptive in the short term. Partners are committed to close communication and liaison with local businesses impacted during the highways/public realm work.
Is the work being done as quickly as possible?
While progress on the project may sometimes appear slow, in reality a great deal is being achieved, including in overcoming underground issues such as the partially collapsed Severn Trent culvert that was identified on the junction of Dig St and St John St and other issues with gulleys, which have been found to be no longer connecting into the drainage system and have required fixing. These are just two examples of many, but it is important that these issues are addressed as they are discovered to avoid future problems and support the quality and longevity of the work being delivered. While trial holes were completed in advance of the works to identify as many potential areas of concern as possible, it is not possible to locate all issues in advance of uncovering larger sections, and this is consistent with other projects in historic town centres.
Why are the roads through Ashbourne closed at the same time, couldn't they have been done separately to keep traffic moving through the town centre?
The sequencing of the works has been determined by the contractor and Derbyshire County Council to minimise the total period of temporary road closures while providing a safe working environment on the constrained streets of Ashbourne. Extending the period of the works would have prolonged the period of disruption overall and would also have been more costly and result in implications for the LUF funding from Government, which is time limited. However, work is being prioritised to re-open St John St as early as possible, which should ease the disruption in the town.
Who decided the timetable of works?
The Highways and Public Realm project is led by Derbyshire County Council, and main works are being delivered by a contractor on their behalf. A programme of works has been developed and agreed by all parties that allows the works to be completed in the most cost effective, safe and efficient manner. The programme takes into account restrictions such as business opening times, access and deliveries whilst maintaining safe working space for both the workforce and the general public.
Alternative options, for example minimising road closures by working on sections of road independently, would have meant that the overall disruption would have taken much longer and would have resulted in increased ongoing costs for elements like the contractor compound, site costs and supervision. Works outside of hours would also have resulted in increased costs. Since the amount awarded by UK Government to deliver the programme is fixed, any increase in costs would mean that the project would need to be adjusted to stay in budget.
Is the work on schedule?
Information about the timetable of works is published in the Phasing Plans on the Ashbourne Reborn web pages. The overall programme is now expected to complete in early November rather than late October, however the contractors are prioritising the re-opening of St John Street which is planned by the end of September, and this remains on schedule.
The Highways and Public Realm project is led by Derbyshire County Council, and main works are being delivered by a contractor on their behalf. A programme of works has been agreed and this is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis as part of the ongoing contract management process to ensure that works stay on schedule to complete on time. As you would expect, the contractor’s workforce operates to code of conduct, which is also monitored.
How is the quality of work being checked?
The Highways and Public Realm project is led by Derbyshire County Council, and main works are being delivered by a contractor on their behalf. Quality control measures are in place to ensure that the required standards are met, and this is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis as part of the ongoing contract management process. If work is not found to be up to the expected standard, this will be addressed and rectified.
How long will it take?
The Highways and Public Realm project is led by Derbyshire County Council, and main works are being delivered by a contractor on their behalf. A programme of works has been agreed and this is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis as part of the ongoing contract management process to ensure that works stay on schedule.
Preparatory work started in summer 2024. Scanning and minor ground investigations were carried out for the highways and public realm project, while services relocated from Ashbourne Methodist Church buildings ahead of development of the Link Community Hub. The main construction period for both projects started in the new year 2025. The project is expected to finish by autumn/winter 2025, and this work will be carefully managed to reduce disruption as much as possible.
Is there a penalty clause if the project does not complete on time?
There is no benefit to the contractor if they take longer than planned, the contract works in a way that they would be penalised if they overrun.
Is the programme on budget?
The programme remains within the budget agreed with central UK Government and is monitored on an ongoing basis both in terms of project level and programme level finances. This includes monthly reporting to the Project Boards (Highways and Public Realm led by Derbyshire County Council, and The Link Community Hub led by Ashbourne Methodist Church), programme level review by the Ashbourne Reborn Programme Board and quarterly reporting to Government. Any changes to the agreed project scope may be subject to additional partner funding.
Why couldn't the work be done at night?
The project team looked at different ways the work could be progressed, taking into account cost effectiveness and causing the least inconvenience to business and residents in the town centre, as well as the motoring public. Night work was one of the options considered but was discounted for a number of reasons. These included noise and light disturbance to residential properties in the town centre, safety of the workers, and value for money as it would take significantly longer to complete the project while working at night.
Will the new paving be a slip hazard in wet and icy weather?
The new paving uses Derbyshire blue/grey sandstone, sourced from Mouselow Quarry, Glossop. This stone exceeds the minimum industry criteria for skid resistance in wet weather. The design of the new paving construction conforms to British Standards and Health and Safety Executive requirements related to the design, construction, and maintenance of pavements. The abrasion resistance and slip/skid resistance of both the new and original paving along St John Street have been tested against the requirements. The new paving surpasses the required thresholds by a considerable margin in both dry and wet conditions. We can confirm from our tests and the design approach that the paving is not slippery. Any material will not perform as expected if it is covered in snow and ice, in that case the usual winter maintenance of salt or grit would be required.
What is happening to the historic stone flags outside the town hall?
The flagstones in front of the Town Hall are due to be replaced with the new Derbyshire blue/grey sandstone that has been sourced from Mouselow Quarry, Glossop. This is to create a safe and uniform surface for pedestrians. Although they are being removed from outside the town hall, where possible they will be reused elsewhere on the scheme, for example, to replace significantly broken flagstones in other historic areas where refurbishment rather than replacement is possible to improve the area and remove trip hazards.
Why has the crossing area at the bottom of Buxton Hill been removed?
The island at the bottom of Buxton Hill has been temporarily removed to allow traffic management while works are under way. It will be reinstated as part of the finished scheme, which will include wider pavements and improved crossings to give greater priority to pedestrians at the junction of St John Street and Buxton Road. The new designs take into account the movement of traffic and the type of vehicles that use this junction, and the replacement crossing has been redesigned so vehicles will be less likely to drive over it.
How will people cross the road safely?
While works are under way, pedestrians should follow ‘Footpath closed’ signage and use the controlled crossing outside the Town Hall.
How are we going to be able to hold local events while construction work is going on in the town centre?
We are aware of the strong programme of events that are held in Ashbourne and the significance of these for local identity, trade and vibrancy. Wherever possible we will phase the work in the town to avoid disrupting these events. However, it may be that dates and/or venues for some will need to change where this is possible. We are already talking now with partners as to the options, well ahead of any work starting.
Why are you proposing to close St John Street to traffic?
The first work packages are started in Autumn 2024 both on the Link Community Hub project and on elements of the Highways and Public Realm project, which will transform a series of public spaces and pave the way for a more pedestrian-friendly town centre. As the works are due to take place over approximately a 12-month period, delivering the change will be disruptive in the short term and require temporary road closures to traffic.
This includes the potential closure of St John Street to traffic for a period of 19 weeks, while maintaining access for pedestrians and businesses. Project partners carefully weighed up the proposal against a 31-week partial closure with traffic lights, which would have prolonged the disruption and incurred an additional cost of nearly £350,000. Derbyshire County Council are developing traffic management plans, and anyone with questions is encouraged to come to a public meeting 6-8pm on 3 December at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS), or drop-ins at Ashbourne Library on Tuesday 26 November 5-7pm, and Thursday 28 November 10:30am-1:30pm.
All partners are committed to reducing disruption as much as possible and to working closely with residents and businesses to minimise the impact. Once finished, the town will benefit for many years to come.
What about Royal Shrovetide football?
Although work started on the south section of Dig Street and Buxton Hill in early February, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Programme lead, and Derbyshire County Council, who are leading the Ashbourne Reborn Highways and Public Realm project, have been clear from the outset that work should not interrupt the Shrovetide game. The annual tradition takes place on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, which fall on the 4th and 5th March in 2025. To ensure the historic Royal Shrovetide football game can go ahead as usual the contractor is due to close down the site on Friday 28 February, starting back up on Monday 10 March.
Read the full story in this article: Works to pause for Royal Shrovetide football.
