Derbyshire council sets up firm after collapse of contractor

A Derbyshire council's plans to set up its own development company following the collapse of a contractor have been given the go-ahead.

Woodhead Construction went into liquidation when it was half-way through a four-year contract with Bolsover District Council.

The contractor had agreed to build up to 400 homes in Langwith and Shirebrook - and a wellbeing centre in Creswell.

Councillors approved plans to establish Dragonfly Development on Wednesday.

The company will take over building contracts and identify other development projects over the next five years.

Karen Hanson, chief executive of Bolsover District Council, said: "When Woodhead Construction went into administration, it left us with a black hole in terms of our current development projects.

"But we took quick decisive action to ensure all of our current developments would continue and the establishment of this company is the next phase in ensuring we deliver what we said we would.

"If we are to survive, then we have to become more business-minded and self-sufficient and this is the first step in achieving that."

Woodhead Construction, based in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire - which was believed to have employed 150 people - went into liquidation in September.

Chief executive of Dragonfly Development, Grant Galloway, said the company would be looking at "commercial and retail investments opportunities".

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