A massive 100ft (30m) Union Jack flag has been installed on the side of a former council building in Derbyshire, replacing a smaller version that previously breached planning rules.
Property developer James Holmes placed the original 36ft (11m) flag on the old North East Derbyshire District Council building in Saltergate, Chesterfield, in September. However, Chesterfield Borough Council later deemed it an “unauthorised advertisement” because it featured a web address promoting Mr Holmes’s Fly the Flag campaign.
Undeterred by the council’s decision, Mr Holmes has now gone even bigger—printing and installing a new 100ft flag at a cost of £3,000. This time, the flag does not breach any planning regulations, and the council has confirmed it will not be removed.
“This flag was a mistake—I should have made it bigger,” Mr Holmes said. “I could have had it two metres taller, and it would still fit perfectly. I might even order another one for the other side of the building.”
Holmes added that the flag adds colour and vibrancy to the area, saying, “It brightens up the street because the sun is always on this side. It was never meant to be controversial, but right now Chesterfield is more famous for this flag than even the crooked spire.”
A spokesperson for Chesterfield Borough Council confirmed that the newly installed flag complies with regulations and acknowledged Mr Holmes’s efforts to mark the national period of remembrance.
“It’s evident that Mr Holmes is keen to recognise our national period of Remembrance, which is something we also value highly as a council,” the spokesperson said.
The council reiterated, however, that the earlier flags promoting a commercial website were deemed unauthorised and enforcement action could still follow if those advertisements remain in place.
“We did contact Mr Holmes in relation to the previous Union flags on the front and top of the building, as these advertised a commercial website,” the statement continued. “We intend to take enforcement action if the remaining unauthorised advertisement is not removed.”
Mr Holmes acquired the former council building in 2021 and has since expressed his intention to redevelop the prominent Chesterfield site. The borough council said discussions remain ongoing with Holmes about his “long-standing development plans” for the property.
For now, the towering Union Jack continues to attract attention from passersby, symbolising both local pride and a developer’s bold statement of patriotism on one of Chesterfield’s most visible landmarks.
