Client Background – Peak UK Kayaking Co Ltd
For over 30 years, Peak UK Kayaking Co Ltd has been at the forefront of kayaking apparel and equipment manufacturing, supplying elite athletes, including Olympians. As demand for its products has grown, the company has sought to expand its operations. Previously they were based in Darley Dale selecting the former Cromford Garden Centre as an ideal location for its next phase of development.
Peak UK Kayaking Co Ltd was granted planning permission by Derbyshire Dales District Council to redevelop the former Cromford Garden Centre into a new headquarters, community hub, and activity base called Carrwood Mill.
Having outgrown their current premises, this development will provide enhanced opportunities for children to engage in kayaking while supporting local heritage and sustainability initiatives. Located adjacent to the Cromford Canal, the site will also accommodate PaddlePeak, Peak UK Kayaking’s charitable organization, which promotes youth participation in kayaking and coordinates environmental conservation efforts along the River Derwent.
Project Overview – Former Cromford Garden Centre
Given the site’s brownfield status within a World Heritage Site, careful planning and heritage considerations were essential. James Boon Architects, with extensive experience in heritage-related projects, led the architectural design.
In collaboration with Planning & Design Practice, comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessments were conducted in accordance with ICOMOS guidelines to ensure the proposal respected the historical and environmental sensitivities of the location. The design, was presented at a public consultation at Cromford Mills in August 2024 and received positive feedback.
Challenges
The site is situated in a sensitive location within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. The Heritage Impact Assessment had to provide a context analysis of the site and its surrounds (1000M study area) which has approximately 174 designated and non-designated heritage assets. The submitted design was developed having regard for the design objectives set out in the ‘Design Rationale’ section of the DVMWHS Management Plan. It was hoped that the development had the potential to enhance the visual amenity of the area, as well as providing a useable resource.
Making changes within the DVMWHS always demands that any impact on its outstanding universal value (OUV) is thoroughly assessed. In this case it shows that development is possible in the WHS where it can enhance its OUV. Overall, the development at Cromford Garden Centre strived to be of a “higher quality” and reflect the aspirations of the Management Plan and accords with the good design policies of the NPPF and Local Plan.
Conclusion
Thankfully, with a supportive local authority (Derbyshire Dales District Council), we were able to secure a planning consent in February 2025. Permission was granted for the demolition of an existing Cromford Garden Centre buildings and structures. Permission also allowed the construction of new offices, showroom, manufacturing facilities and warehouse, together with associated parking and circulation. In addition the permission allowed construction of a new building for charity use, with associated storage, changing rooms and club room.
This initiative will reintroduce textile manufacturing to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, aligning with the region’s industrial heritage. The site, which had remained vacant and overgrown for more than a decade, will be revitalized, contributing to both the local economy and environmental sustainability. This development will enhance local infrastructure, with the high-quality facility contributing to the long-term environmental sustainability of the site while fostering community engagement through kayaking activities and conservation initiatives.
Key contact:
Jon Millhouse is a Chartered Town Planner and member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).
Planning & Design Practice Ltd are a team of Planning Consultants and Architects, based in Derby and Sheffield, who specialise in heritage projects. We recognise that historic buildings and landscapes are intrinsic to our sense of place and identity, and have considerable experience of developments involving Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and World Heritage sites.
We have an in-house team of consultants, conservation architects and architectural technicians who ensure that proposals are designed sympathetically to conserve and enhance historic buildings and sites.
We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. We have the expertise and specialist knowledge to achieve success with your project regardless of its size. For more information on this project to redevelop the former Cromford Garden Centre or to discuss your own property please contact us on 01332 347371.