Derbyshire Dales District Council Archives

Rural employment boost for Derbyshire Dales!

22nd November 202216th November 2022 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice, Rural Employment, Derbyshire Dales, Planning Permission, Planning Consultants Derby, Planning Consultants Sheffield, Architects Derby, Architects Sheffield

Planning & Design Practice Ltd is pleased to announce that planning permission has been secured for erection of two B8 (Storage and distribution) and E(g)(iii) (Industrial Processes) buildings in Derbyshire Dales. The buildings would be subdivided into nine individual units, and will provide a significant boost to rural employment opportunities.

In line with our clients brief the Architectural Team in collaboration with the Planning Team at Planning and Design Practice prepared a sensitive scheme that would make efficient use of land in terms of maximising the number and size of unit’s deliverable on site, whilst minimising the potential impacts on the countryside and the setting of the a nearby Conservation Area.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd, Architects Derby, Architects Sheffield, Planning Consultants Derby, Planning Consultants Sheffield, Derbyshire Dales — ***Figure 1:*** *Proposed layout plan*

The smaller of the two buildings (Building G) will consist of 2 no. units measuring approximately 18m x 12.5m (222 sqm per unit).

***Figure 2:*** *Elevations of Building G*

The larger of the two building (Building H) will consist of 7 no. units measuring approximately 9m x 18m (166 sqm per unit).

***Figure 3:*** *Elevations of Building H*

It was successfully argued that the redevelopment of the site for new build B8 (Storage and distribution) and E(g)(iii) (Industrial Processes) units would be an appropriate form of employment development within the defined countryside as it would represent an opportunity to create much needed rural employment opportunities within the area. The development will support the local economy by providing a range of fit for purpose modern commercial units for local residents within the area which will in turn contribute towards the creation and retention of rural employment opportunities.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd is a multi-disciplinary team of Charactered Town Planners, Architects, Architectural Assistants and Heritage Specialists. Gaining planning permission is a key step in almost any development. We can take a project through from inception to completion, but we also offer the flexibility to engage a client’s own architects and provide a planning service, whilst our design team can also work with clients who have engaged other town planning professionals.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd are well versed in researching and understanding local Council’s policies to ensure the best possible case if put forward for our clients.

For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371 or enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.

Andrew Stock, Principal Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd.

Planning Success with ‘Presumption in favour of sustainable development’ for an edge of town stable conversion in Derbyshire Dales

28th November 202228th September 2022 by Gary Stringer

Andrew Stock in collaboration with the Architectural Team are pleased to announce that planning permission with ‘Presumption in favour of sustainable development’ has been secured for the change of use and conversion of a modern stable building to form a single house in Doveridge, Derbyshire.

The application site has a rather complex planning history, which our new recruit Andrew Stock – Principal Planner, knows particularly well being the Planning Officer who dealt with a number of applications at this site whilst working for Derbyshire Dales District Council.

The application relates to the change of use and conversion of a modern timber stable building constructed in 2014 to a single dwellinghouse. Planning permission had previously been refused for its change of use and conversion to a dwellinghouse in 2017.

***Figure 1:*** *Photograph of the stable building*

The Architectural Team in collaboration with the Planning Team at Planning & Design Practice prepared sensitive scheme which we believed would overall appropriately uphold the character and appearance of the existing building, in line with the Councils strict policy on the change of use and conversion of rural buildings.

It was acknowledged that Derbyshire Dales District Council is unable to demonstrate a deliverable 5-year housing land supply, providing only 4.61 years’ worth of land for housing, as such there is presumption in favour of sustainable development when having regard to Paragraph 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).

Whilst it was acknowledged that local planning policies do not support the conversion of modern equestrian buildings it was successfully argued that given the location of the application site to Doveridge the provision of a new dwelling (conversion in this case) and the beneficial re-use of an existing building would have significant social, economic and environmental benefits that weigh in favour of the proposal. When all of the above matters are weighed in the balance, it was considered that the any adverse impacts of granting permission would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of more housing when assessed against the National Planning Policy Framework as a whole.

The Council agreed, stating:

“Given the particular circumstances regarding the District Council’s position in terms of its housing land supply and location of the site in this case, it is considered that the proposed development would be in accordance with the relevant policies within the Adopted Derbyshire Dales Local Plan (2017) and the principle of the development is considered to be acceptable.”

The question of what ‘the presumption’ and ‘sustainable development’ actually is plays a significant role in planning applications and appeals. The understanding of the Councils current housing land supply position was crucial in unlocking the potential for development on this site.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd are well versed in researching and understanding local Council’s policies and housing positions to ensure the best possible case if put forward for our clients.

For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371 or enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.

Planning win for revised housing proposals at Darley Dale

28th November 202218th January 2022 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice received detailed planning permission for a large five-bedroom dormer bungalow on land within the grounds of Penzer House, Darley Dale, located off the A6 opposite St Elphins retirement community in Derbyshire in October 2020.

The site was subsequently sold, and the new owners wanted amendments to the approved bungalow to include a first-floor balcony off the principal bedroom, changes to the internal layout including additional upper floor space and alterations to garaging plus the provision of a hobby workshop and store.

The new owners came to us because of our previous involvement with the scheme and our expertise in planning within both Darley Dale and the wider Derbyshire Dales. We have submitted planning applications in the District for over 20 years.

It is common practice in the District to submit a pre-app first and pay a pre-app fee. Unlike many councils’, pre-apps are taken seriously and we received useful feedback following a site meeting and a written response. Whilst this delayed the process and cost more money it provided us with useful advice and helped the client understand the issues that the council had.

The council were generally satisfied with the changes although they raised some concerns regarding the hobby workshop.

We submitted the plans and revised the hobby workshop; we lowered its height to remove any concerns that it could be used as additional residential accommodation. The planners wanted further reductions in the size of the hobby workshop, but we held firm, arguing that the proposals were reasonable in the context of the site. After much debate, the application was approved under delegated powers. It is hoped that work will start in 2022.

Planning & Design Practice is a multi-disciplinary team of Town Planners, Architects, Architectural Assistants and Design Professionals. We can take a project through from inception to completion but we also offer the flexibility to engage a client’s own architects and provide a planning service, whilst our design team can also work with clients who have engaged other town planning professionals. We have extensive knowledge about the policies and procedures of individual councils and the approach taken by planning officers and Councillors. For a no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please get in touch on 01332 347371 or by email at enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk

Call for sites – Derbyshire Dales

29th November 202221st June 2021 by Gary Stringer

Roll up roll up, here is your opportunity to put your land forward for development and see a massive increase in land value! Well possibly. Joking aside, this is a good opportunity for those landowners who have land within and on the edges of the towns and villages in the Derbyshire Dales (excluding Bakewell and the Peak District National Park) to realise their development potential as the District Council issue a call for sites.

Every 5 years the council needs to either write a new Local Plan or update an existing Local Plan. A local plan determines where development, that is housing or commercial / industrial sites will be built. Each council has a housing target and must maintain a 5-year supply of housing land. It must also identify enough land to accommodate new employment proposals.

Where does that land come from? It comes from landowners who are prepared to see their land developed. Many people and certain types of landowner, say the National Trust will not want their land developed and some land has covenants that prevent development.

The council need to be sure that if they put a site in the Local Plan that there is a very good chance that it will be developed. This means that the land must be developable and that the landowners of chosen sites are willing to develop their own land or sell the land to developers and house builders within just a few years.

Getting development to happen is not easy. The site must be accessible and safe for vehicles and people to get to and from, there must be access to mains services -water, electricity, and drainage, it must not be liable to flooding or be a site of importance for nature. If it is contaminated it must be able to be remediated and the topography of the site must not be too difficult.

The Council will always look for land within town and villages first and then look at sites on the edges of those towns and villages. The land must be able to accommodate at least 5 dwellings and be a minimum 0.1 of a ha in area.

If you think this could be your land, please contact us. We can submit your land to the council and explain why in planning terms the site is suitable. If we do not think your site is suitable, we will tell you straightaway.

The site will be submitted to a list called the Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA). The council will make their own assessment of all the sites they receive, and they will ask the County Highway Authority, the Environment Agency, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, and others for comments.

Once these comments have been received the SHELAA will be published and will be used to identify those sites that can go forward into the emerging Local Plan. A local plan normally takes two to three years to be approved but if your land is in the adopted Local Plan, you effectively have a planning permission in principle, and we have found that with most developable sites in Derbyshire Dales there has always been strong demand for the land.

The Head of Planning Policy has confirmed that the council is looking to allocate land for both housing and employment in the new local plan.

It should also be noted that if the land is suitable for development without going through a Local Plan, we will also tell you. At the moment the council does not have a 5-year housing supply and there is a presumption in favour of new sites coming forward for development in certain circumstances. You have nothing to lose by contacting us today. There is the possibility that your land can provide much needed housing or employment land. You will be helping your community to meet its future needs while also seeing a significant financial gain.

Time is short, the deadline for an application to be made is July 7th 2021. Sometimes we can an extension of time, but you will need to act quickly. We can provide an initial view on the suitability of the land without charge, and we only take forward those sites which can meet the council criteria as being suitable for development. We can enhance your chances of the land being chosen and we can support you through the Local Plan Process.

New road and roundabout signals start of Ashbourne regeneration scheme

29th November 20229th November 2020 by Gary Stringer

As planning consultants and agents we have been working with the developers FW Harrison since 2011 to facilitate the largest single development site in the Derbyshire Dales. Work on this multi-million pound scheme will unlock land for employment and housing development, helping to drive the regeneration of Ashbourne.

Having first achieved outline planning permission in 2015 we obtained detailed consent for the link road and this led to a technical start being made on the road in 2019. Since then the county council submitted revised proposals for the roundabout and modifications to the link road and the developers submitted a fresh outline planning permission for the whole site which was agreed earlier this year.

The Airfield site will release up to 20ha of new industrial and commercial development. This will provide a major boost to the economy at a time when the economic performance of the Derbyshire Dales is being suppressed by Covid 19 lockdown restrictions. It should help to lower future unemployment rates in the Ashbourne area as it will allow the expansion of existing businesses located on the Airfield industrial estate, it will facilitate the creation of new businesses and attract new companies to the area.

The new link road will provide a second access onto Blenheim Road which will lower congestion on the Derby Road. It will provide a new high quality entrance to the town; the new road will be landscaped and will contain wide footpaths and a cycleway. A new bus service will be routed along the new road and the road and the commercial and industrial development will be drained to a large balancing pond which will also serve as an area for wildlife. The new development will reduce the potential for flooding from the Airfield and the new drainage features and landscaping will protect existing housing on the edge of the airfield from increased noise and disturbance.

There is planning permission for 367 houses and in Phase II of the development a further area of housing and community facilities is proposed as part of the Adopted Local Plan adding up to 1200 new homes. This is in line with sustainable development principles and will provide homes close to work, schools and neighbourhood shopping and community facilities. With good public transport and a network of footpaths and cycle ways, the extension of Ashbourne will create a balanced sustainable community. New areas of open space will be provided with play areas and areas for outdoor sports and recreation. There will be a choice in the modes of transport and the development will not rely on the private car. The Airfield presents a major opportunity for the District to accommodate new development sustainably, with housing for the whole community, from apartments and bungalows for the elderly to large family homes. There will be mixed tenure with the housing to rent as well as homes to buy. There will be affordable housing, some of which may be developed by the Council’s housing arm.

The opening up of the airfield site through the construction of the new roundabout and the link road is very exciting and is an important milestone in realising the vision for the site. This is a shared vision of the County and District authorities and by the developers and their consultants. All sides have worked hard to get this project off the ground and in these uncertain times the start of this key project is to be warmly welcomed.

Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

Main Image: Jacobs Engineering

Planning & Design have a wealth of experience in designing and securing planning permission for commercial projects. We have the required skills to design both small and large scale schemes in-house and tailor the design to the client’s unique specifications.

Unsure of your site’s potential? Contact us on 01332 347371 for a no obligation consultation, we are able to provide our professional opinion on the planning potential of your property from the outset.

Summer house consent in Conservation Area

29th November 202220th October 2020 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice Ltd have recently gained planning permission for a new summer house, within the grounds of a substantial Victorian residence in Carsington, within the Derbyshire Dales.

The site is within the Carsington and Hopton Conservation Area and previous design attempts by other agents had failed to meet the strict design criteria of this historic village.

The Carsington and Hopton Conservation Area, was designated in 1971 with the boundary extended again in 1994. In 2008/9 a comprehensive Character Appraisal was undertaken with a Draft Appraisal produced in May 2009. The Appraisal considered the special qualities and interests of the Conservation Area including its archaeological significance, the architectural and historic quality of the buildings, the relationship of the buildings and spaces, the landscape and the setting of the conservation area and the negative and neutral factors affecting the area.

Planning & Design Practice Ltd prepared a revised scheme for the summer house, consisting of an oak frame construction, built upon a solid plinth of Birchover stone. The traditional gabled roof is to be covered with lead, a reference to the ancient settlement of Lutudarum near Carsington, the administrative centre for the Roman Empire’s lead mining operations. To maximise sunlight within the summerhouse, vaulted, thin steel framed windows are to be used, set within the oak frame.

The revised design was found to be appropriately subservient yet of a high quality design as befits the Conservation Area. We look forward to seeing the scheme completed.

At Planning & Design Practice Ltd we recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas.

We have the in-house expertise to ensure that proposals are designed sympathetically to conserve and enhance historic buildings and sites, and we use our experience to provide the right level of detail to accompany applications for planning permission and listed building consent.

We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Director Jon Millhouse specialises in heritage planning and architectural team leader Lindsay Cruddas is a registered Specialist Conservation Architect.

For more information or to discuss your project or property, please get in touch.

Paragraph 79

30th November 202221st September 2020 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice Ltd recently submitted a planning application for the demolition of steel frame buildings and the construction of a new dwelling at Sheephills, Blackwall, Kirk Ireton. The application was submitted under Paragraph 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework, which allows for new houses in the countryside which are considered to be of exceptional quality.

In our 20 plus years of preparing and submitting proposals in the Dales, we have never before as a practice prepared a Paragraph 79 proposal, despite being asked to do so by numerous potential clients. In each of these previous cases we have advised that the site in question is not sufficiently special, and refrained from pursuing a proposal.

We proposed a Paragraph 79 house at Sheephills because we genuinely believed that this particular site, and the opportunity it offers for enhancement, are truly exceptional.

Sheephills occupies a wonderful position on the wooded valley slopes above Biggin by Hulland which is quintessential of the southern Derbyshire Dales. Historically, Sheephills was a farmstead including farmhouse and outbuildings, owned by the Blackwall estate. Today it comprises of a group of ugly rusting sheds, ripe for enhancement. Uniquely, the land has been owned and farmed by the same family -our clients the Blackwall family- since at least 1415.

We prepared our proposals thoughtfully and methodically over a 3-year period. Our first step was to carry out a thorough context analysis. This is included in the application documents and should be read for the proposal to be fully understood. As well as assessing the site and its immediate surroundings the analysis also sought to understand the prevailing characteristics of a traditional Derbyshire Dales vernacular house, in order that lessons could be learned and then interpreted in the new design.

We prepared an initial draft design and held a site visit and workshop meeting with independent design review panel OPUN and Derbyshire Dales officers, in February 2018. Feedback was received and the design developed further. After preparing a second revision of the design we submitted the proposals again to OPUN. The design review panel provided further feedback in March 2020 in the form of a series of questions. Our answers to these questions are submitted as part of this application and should be read for context. After making further improvements to the design, we submitted this application.

The overriding theme of the proposal is a reinterpretation of a rural Derbyshire Dales vernacular house in the 21st century -not blindly following the aesthetics of traditional architecture but learning the lessons of the past and seeking to reapply them to meet the challenges of today. In this respect we hope that the design will act as an exemplar, hopefully serving to raise the standards of design more generally across the Derbyshire Dales.

Building on my own initial context analysis work, the design was prepared primarily by Lindsay Cruddas, a RIBA registered specialist conservation architect with considerable experience working in the Dales, and developed further by Fernando Collado Lopez, a registered architect with experience of working in the UK, Spain and North America.

Looking for your dream home? Our team of experienced professionals work with home owners on a daily basis to provide the technical knowledge, design ideals & relevant expertise to help guide you through what can be a daunting process. For more information, and a free half an hour consultation to discuss your project, please contact us.

Jon Millhouse, Director, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

Unlocking Ashbourne Airfield

19th June 20234th February 2020 by Gary Stringer

At Planning and Design Practice Ltd we were delighted to hear the news that fellow Marketing Derby Bondholder, the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership has agreed to provide £1 million to create a new link road to unlock the development of Ashbourne Airfield.

The £10.7m scheme, next to the Airfield Industrial Estate, will see the creation of the Ashbourne Business Park, together with a new housing development and a new roundabout and link road.

The project is a partnership between Derbyshire Dales District Council, Derbyshire County Council and landowner FW Harrison, all of which have put in additional funding for the infrastructure improvements.

Planning and Design Practice Ltd have a long history with the site, having devised the original masterplan and secured outline permission in October 2014 (the largest single development ever approved in Derbyshire Dales). We also secured the allocation of the Airfield for redevelopment in the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan in December 2017, secured detailed planning permission for a new link road through the site and submitted a revised outline application in 2019 (set to be decided by the Derbyshire Dales District Council Planning Board on 4th February 2020).

The scheme will provide 367 homes, 8-10ha of industrial and commercial land, a hotel and a community hub. Land has been allocated in the Local Plan for a further 1100 homes, 6-8Ha of employment land and community facilities at the Airfield in a second phase of development to the north.

The new link road will open up the existing adjacent industrial estate which is fully occupied and a new bus route will also be created.

The proposals include areas for wildlife conservation, a public open space and new landscape features incorporating over 1 hectare of new woodland. The scheme will deliver over £3m in public subsidy for school and college places and highway improvements as well as affordable housing.

Derbyshire Dales Planning Committee resolved to grant planning permission for a hybrid planning application on the 4th February subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement.

The permission combined a full application for the first new commercial building and brought together all the existing consents. The 2017 outline permission was also renewed but with extended timescales for the submission of reserved matters to enable the Industrial Estate to be developed (including the creation of a new business park) over the next 10 years.

The first phase of the development, including the new access is scheduled to start on the 9th March 2020.

Jon Millhouse, Director at Planning & Design Practice Ltd said: “We are excited to see the Airfield development about to commence. We have always envisaged and sought to achieve a high quality and truly sustainable new development, where people can live, work and play.”

Planning and Design Practice Ltd recognise that urban design has a key role to play in tackling climate change, by making future places more robust to withstand the impact of climate change and adaptable as conditions change. We have a talented group of planners and urban designers who can work with you to create outward looking inclusive designs which will be supported by Local planning Authorities. For more information please visit www.planningdesign.co.uk or phone 01332 347371.

Callow Hall, where treetops glisten…

4th December 2019 by Gary Stringer

Callow Hall is a well-established Grade II listed country house hotel providing luxury accommodation for tourism and business from its location just outside Ashbourne. However, the existing hotel currently has just 16 bedrooms which restricts its ability to hold larger functions/conferences and, consequently, affects its overall viability. The Hive Hotel Group bought the site about 18 months ago and have publicly stated that their ambition to preserve the character of the property and protect the natural environment which surrounds it.

For the past year PDP have been commissioned by Hive to provide planning consultancy services on a number of exciting proposals for Callow Hall including:

Conversion of the Grade II listed former stables/coach house building to 4 holiday suites working alongside Childs Sulzmann Architects. This application was approved in September 2019 and work to discharge the conditions is ongoing.
Minor internal and external alterations to the main Callow Hall building working alongside Tate Harmer Architects. Planning consent was obtained in July 2019.
Creation of a new car park to the east of the access drive working alongside Childs Sulzmann Architects. Planning permission was granted in November 2019.

Applications are also pending for a garden room extension to the west of the main building and, most excitingly of all, the erection of 11 treehouses in the wood to the west of the main hall. This is particular challenging as it is designated as ancient woodland, which gives it a very high degree of protection. As such we need to ensure that we don’t do anything to harm the integrity or unique character of the woodland.

All of these applications have had their challenges and have required the input of numerous 3rd party consultants including heritage specialists, tree consultants, ecologists, structural engineers and landscape architects. Part of our job has been to advise on what is required, coordinate the documents and liaise with Derbyshire Dales District Council who we have good working relations with. We look forward to obtaining consent for the remaining 2 applications and seeing Callow Hall to being to prosper again in 2020.

Main Image: Blue Forest (UK) Limited

Approval secured despite negative pre-application discussions

4th February 202020th November 2019 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice have secured planning approval for a 2 storey side and rear extension to a cottage in Hollington, Derbyshire. Not a particularly unusual situation on the face of it, but in this case we entered into detailed pre-application discussions with the Local Planning Authority – who held the view that they would not support the scale of the extensions proposed.

The original cottage had been extended previously, and not particularly sympathetically. The appearance of the building as it stands today is somewhat discordant, especially from the rear elevation, due to differing roof pitches. The proposed scheme therefore included alterations to the existing roof, and the resulting design (once the proposed extension is completed) will bring a sense of symmetry back to the property, especially when viewed from the rear.

From the front elevation, the side extension steps back on the front elevation and steps down on the roof line, which helps to show the extension as subordinate to the main part of the house, in compliance with the Council’s planning policy for householder extensions.

After the negative pre-application response, alternative design options were explored base on the comments from the LPA, however these could not achieve the required floor space for the client’s needs, plus the design itself ended up far more complex and cluttered in appearance.

It was therefore resolved to submit the application with the original, preferred design but with just a couple of minor changes to the detailing as an acknowledgment to the Council’s comments.

The submitted application was then approved, much to the delight of our clients, with just a standard condition requiring materials to match the existing house. The approved scheme meets their requirements for both additional ground floor space and first floor accommodation, whilst improving the overall appearance of the property.

On hearing the news of the approval, the homeowner said “That’s fantastic news. Your instinct was spot on, so however we all might feel about the pre planning activity it’s a major hurdle overcome!”

Obtaining planning permission can provide you with that dream home in the countryside or maybe the way of life you have always dreamt of. We have vast experience of working on rural projects for homeowners, landowners and farmers in rural areas. For more information about how we can assist with a rural planning project please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Rural employment boost for Derbyshire Dales!

Planning Success with ‘Presumption in favour of sustainable development’ for an edge of town stable conversion in Derbyshire Dales

Planning win for revised housing proposals at Darley Dale

Call for sites – Derbyshire Dales

New road and roundabout signals start of Ashbourne regeneration scheme

Summer house consent in Conservation Area

Paragraph 79

Unlocking Ashbourne Airfield

Callow Hall, where treetops glisten…

Approval secured despite negative pre-application discussions

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