Planning & Design Practice are pleased to announce the granting of outline permission for 5 dormer bungalows at land to the rear of 65 The Hill, Glapwell, Derbyshire.
The site is wholly located within the development envelope for Glapwell, situated behind properties fronting onto The Hill. Prior to the application, we submitted pre-application enquiries to both the Derbyshire County Council Highway Authority, and Bolsover District Council, to assess the suitability of the site. The results of these pre-application enquiries helped inform the next steps for the outline application.
The proposal was designed to be sympathetic to the local character and appearance of the area, and so that the low height of the bungalows would not cause any significant impacts on the amenity of future or existing neighbouring residents. Significant trees and hedges were protected on site, with the trees along the southern boundary of the site acting as screening to/from the countryside.
After submission of the outline application, conversation with the Council and statutory consultees resulted in further information needing to be submitted. This included a topographical survey and Slope Stability Report due to historical landslides in the area. The submitted reports, coupled with the other information submitted with the application, were found to be sufficient, resulting in an approval from the Council.
Backland development can sometimes be quite contentious applications, however, at PDP we work closely with the Council and other stakeholders to ensure a successful outcome for all parties.
We work with developers of all sizes, from small companies working on one property at a time to large housebuilders and commercial organisations where multi-million pound schemes are the norm.
Since being founded in 2002, we have established a strong reputation for providing honest and sound commercial advice, skilled presentation, advocacy and negotiation.
Our core planning and architectural expertise is supported by specialists in Heritage and Urban Design. We always think innovatively and a collaborative approach is at the heart of what we do.
For more information, or to discuss your proposals please contact us at enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk or phone 01332 347371.
Planning applications for the first phase of the proposed £35 million restoration and transformation of Elvaston Castle Country Park are set to be submitted.
Final touches have been added to proposals to reverse decades of under investment and secure the future of the 321-acre Derbyshire estate, which includes the historic Grade II-listed gardens.
It follows a comprehensive public consultation exercise and many months of work by Derbyshire County Council and Elvaston Castle and Garden Trust, working with the National Trust.
Elvaston Castle, a gothic revival masterpiece lies at the heart of approximately 321 acres of open parkland, woodland and more formal historical gardens. Designed by James Wyatt in the early 1800s and based on the original house dating back to 1633, it was once the home of the Earls of Harrington. The Stanhope family and 11th earl finally left the estate in 1939 at the onset of the war. During the War, Elvaston housed a teacher training college and in 1964 the estate was put up for sale. It was purchased by Needlers (subsequently part of Tarmac Roadstone UK), a mineral extraction company, with the central core of the estate subsequently being sold to Derbyshire County Council and Derby Borough Council in 1969, saving it from being exploited as a series of gravel pits.
In 1970 the park was officially designated a country park and opened to the public.
The plans include a new café, regenerating the stables for retail, catering, exhibitions and office use, as well as new accommodation and workshops for site staff and volunteers.
Regeneration of the site, will ensure it will remain a free at the point of entry country park, and is expected to create more than 170 new jobs and increase the number of visitors from its current 240,000 a year once it is restored to its former glory.
The money for the project will come from a mix of public and private investment, including bids to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and substantial investment from the county council itself.
Councillor Tony King, the county council’s cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration, said: “If our proposals get the go-ahead, it will signal the start of the first phase of our plans to secure the future of Elvaston Castle Country Park for generations to come by making it a sustainable visitor attraction.”
Planning & Design Practice Ltd are delighted to be working on the ambitious transformation project, having been appointed as Heritage Planning Consultants for the scheme earlier in the year.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas. We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and Derby City Centre, with clients including John Smedleys Ltd, Meadowview Homes, and Staton Young Group.
For more information on this project or for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371 to find out how we can help.
Following the recent release of plans detailing the future of Elvaston Castle and Country Park, Planning & Design Practice Ltd are pleased to announce that they have been appointed as Heritage Planning Consultants for the ambitious redevelopment project. The proposed £35 million restoration and transformation of the in the 321-acre Derbyshire estate by Elvaston Castle and Garden Trust, in partnership with Derbyshire County Council will include its many listed buildings and historic features.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas. We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and Derby City Centre, with clients including John Smedleys Ltd, Meadowview Homes, and Staton Young Group.
Our team includes Director Jon Millhouse, a member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) who specialises in heritage planning and our architectural team leader Lindsay Cruddas who is a registered Specialist Conservation Architect, of which there are only of which there are currently only 130 in the country.
Jon Millhouse said, “We are pleased to have been invited to contribute to this exciting and worthwhile project, which seeks to secure a sustainable future for one of Derbyshire’s most valuable heritage sites.”
The regeneration of the site, which will remain a free at the point of entry country park, will help to create more than 170 new jobs and is expected to increase the number of visitors from its current 240,000 a year.
The funding for the project will come from a mix of public and private investment, including bids to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and substantial investment from the county council itself.
Elvaston Castle, a gothic revival masterpiece lies at the heart of approximately 321 acres of open parkland, woodland and more formal historical gardens. Designed by James Wyatt in the early 1800s and based on the original house dating back to 1633, it was once the home of the Earls of Harrington. However, the Stanhope family left after the end of the Second World War, and Derbyshire County Council then rescued the site in the 1960s, saving it from development for mining and in 1970 the estate was opened as one of the first country parks in England.
Today both the buildings and gardens are registered (Grade 2 and Grade 2*) as being of special architectural and historical interest. Within the estate, structures such as the recently renovated golden gates, Moorish temple and ha-ha wall provide fascinating insights into the past.
Subject to planning permission, the proposed developments include bringing many of the historic buildings back into use as retail, office and workshop space or holiday cottages.
The upper floor of the castle itself would be turned into suites, with the potential to be hired out for weddings and other events. Other upgrades include a new main cafe, adventure playground and improved camping facilities.
The potential for repurposing these heritage assets to make them commercially viable for the 21st century and beyond, whilst retaining their unique character is something with which Planning & Design has great experience.
The county council intends that the day-to-day running of the estate will be managed by the Elvaston Castle and Gardens Trust (ECGT).
Trust chairman Dr Peter Robinson said: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity and the thoughts and ideas contributed by locals and the wider Derbyshire community have been invaluable in shaping this plan.
“Like many people, I love Elvaston and visit frequently with family and friends.
“We have five years of hard work in front of us, but we’re determined to bring the castle, gardens and wider parkland back to life.”
Planning & Design Practice are pleased to have secured approval of Reserved Matters for a development of 10 houses in Ashover, after having originally secured the outline planning permission in 2017.
The outline planning permission restricts the approved development on the site to “bungalows” in the description of development, and also by a condition of the permission which states that “the dwellings hereby approved shall be single storey only.”
The design challenge then for this site was to create a scheme of single storey dwellings for this development that looked great and could be built to a high standard by our client who will be building the houses.
The design of the house types was carefully considered as well as the layout, and extensive pre-application discussions took place with North East Derbyshire District Council and also Urban Design at Derbyshire County Council.
The theme chosen for the site, in this edge-of-settlement location, was that of traditional agricultural buildings – in appearance and materials as well as in the courtyard-type layout.
Inspiration came from existing barn conversions and other rural developments that retain an agricultural character to the finished development, which is essential for a semi-rural location such as this. The building materials for the houses includes materials typical of vernacular rural buildings – stone, timber, and plain clay roof tiles (Staffordshire Blue is proposed to be in keeping with many of the traditional buildings in Ashover).
Another constraint to the development includes that the houses are required to meet the Building Regulations M4(3) standard – which is fully wheelchair accessible. This standard is specific in its dimensional requirements for access into the building, spaces in and around doorways for turning, around furniture, access to windows, storage space for wheelchairs, covered entrances, covered parking at wheelchair accessible size, level access, and bathroom dimensions amongst others.
Therefore it was necessary to design the layout for each house type to meet these stringent requirements whilst trying to maintain the generally linear nature of a converted rural building, to fit with the chosen design theme.
The layout of the site seeks to address social isolation and loneliness. The properties will have living areas to the front overlooking a communal open space with land for a communal garden, and residents will become members of a residents association. The properties and layout are designed to encourage social interaction with all properties overlooking the central access road and communal spaces:
The design of the site layout aims to create an informal courtyard feel, to represent the character of a farmyard through the relationship between the buildings. At the same time, consideration had to be given to access for a Bin Lorry, this involved ‘swept path analysis’ to be certain the vehicle could access the site safely and turn around at the end. Given that the permission for the development itself is for wheelchair accessible dwellings it is essential that the Refuse vehicle can access the full extent of the site, as any residents that are less mobile would find it difficult to take wheeled bins to a designated collection point if it were too far from the house.
The road further up into the site is designed as a shared surface and is proposed to be constructed of permeable block paving. Sections of footway (pavement) are proposed along the lower parts, as this can help the visually impaired be more confident in proximity to vehicles (especially with Guide Dogs).
Each house has its own covered parking area attached to the building, to disabled parking space standards, which is a requirement of the M4(3) standard, along with wheelchair storage areas, and access ramps to all external doors, with level access, and Bin Storage areas under cover. The M4(3) standard also requires that the main entrance is under a covered porch.
Social sustainability
The layout of the site includes a communal garden area in the centre, and this area is currently also earmarked as the location for a Public Art commission. This part of the site is overlooked by almost all of the new dwellings and will provide an active central space that all residents can use, whilst also providing a level of activity and interest to look out over in the neighbourhood for any residents that may struggle to leave the house at any time due to restricted mobility.
Communal areas encourage social interaction and by combining this with the public art, which will be owned by the residents association, it is hoped that this will foster a sense of community for the new residents and create a strong sense of place.
The Sculptor James Sutton has been chosen to produce the public art commission, after a selection process facilitated by Junction Arts. https://www.jamessutton.co.uk/
The communal gardens are located at the centre of the widest part of the site, actively overlooked by all but the southernmost house on the site (which can provide interesting social activity for those with restricted mobility or housebound to look out onto) and the gardens are easily accessible by all residents. A central footpath draws the eye up thought the centre of the gardens and between the two houses at the top end of the site, framing the view of the countryside beyond.
Biodiversity Enhancement
It is proposed to plant new hedgerows along some of the boundaries, consisting of mixed native species, which will provide a biodiversity enhancement for the site. Other boundaries are proposed to be post & rail fencing to maintain the rural character and keep the feeling of openness of the site. Post & rail is also proposed between the individual gardens, along with native mixed hedging to provide some privacy to the occupiers. There will be some sections of new dry-stone walling that are also of great benefit to wildlife, overall the boundary treatments are considered to be rural in character and not suburban, so will actually contribute to the landscape character of the area.
