Creswell Model Village

In 1894, the Bolsover Colliery Company sank the Creswell colliery shaft and shortly after built the 281 houses of the Model Village to house the colliery workers.

The Model Village was designed to meet the principles of the Garden City Movement, a response to the problems of poverty, population growth, cramped urban housing and industrialisation.

There was a move to develop new forms of housing layout and design influenced at the time by socialism, the Arts and Crafts Movement, and a belief in a return to a healthier rural community life and values.

The Model Village layout is octagonal, consisting of a large central green surrounded by a double row of houses with a service road between them.

Prior to intervention by Bolsover District Council and MVMP, the properties were owned almost exclusively by one private sector landlord with a number of owner occupiers dotted around the estate.

The loss of coalmining jobs caused the community to fall into decline, leaving a high number of empty and unfit properties, whose value was further depressed due to a poor social image and environment.

Progress

The development plan for Creswell Model Village took place in two phases:

In 2000, Bolsover District Council and Villagate (private landlord) secured funding from the Single Regeneration Budget funds, the Heritage Lottery Fund and private sector to finance refurbishment of 90 properties
Each property benefited from:
- Re-roofing
- New kitchen and bathroom
- New central heating
- Re-wiring
- Damp proof course
- New timber doors and windows
While phase one was in progress, further funding was agreed to complete the refurbishment of the remainder of the village and to complete works to the central green
In October 2004 the second phase of refurbishment commenced with additional funding from MVMP and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Henry Boot was engaged following a competitive process
MVMP purchased all 60 properties from Villagate to be refurbished and sold onto the open market

Model Village Residents Association

There is an active residents association in the Model Village. The association originally started in the 1930s and the current group has been running for nine years. All residents of the Model Village are automatically members and membership is free. The group has a committee consisting of a chair, treasurer, secretary and committee members. If you are interested in being a committee member please contact a member below:

Margaret McDougal

T: 01909 721775

Val Neeve

T: 07899 862346

Gillian Flower

T: 01909 724274

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