Statements of Heritage Significance are vital when it comes to judgements on what forms part of the curtilage to a listed property, they can set out the significance of the building and its relationship with adjoining land and give an accurate history that will aid the decisions of the local authority. Recently Planning & Design Practice were tasked with writing a Statement of Heritage Significance for owners of The Toll Gate House on the outskirts of Ashbourne to aid with planning permission for a dwelling to be built on land they own adjacent to the property.
The Toll Gate House was listed 14-Feb-1974 Grade II: for its special architectural or historic interest. The listing describes Toll Gate house as;
‘Mid C19, on the Southwest side of the later part of the Derby Turnpike Road. Victorian Tudor. Red brick, slate roof with bands of fish scale tiles. Gabled with fretted bargeboards and finials. Tudor style windows with elaborate glazing. Massive chimney stack and subsidiary chimneys. T shaped building with the stem of the T facing the new road. Below the gable is the former signboard, now blank.’
The Toll Gate House at Ashbourne is typical of its type. The original architectural design of Toll Gate House had similarities with the demolished Duffield Road Toll House at Darley Abbey, and with the refurbished Kedleston Road Toll Bar House. These Toll houses were used by the local Turnpike trusts to collect money to maintain the local roads. At the time of building of the Toll Gate House at Ashbourne , many turnpike trusts saw a serious decline in income as long distance traffic was drawn away to the railways. On a restricted budget, some trusts built additional gates on the roads leading to stations. These tollhouses were often much simpler than those built at the height of the turnpike era and may have originally been a narrow cottage alongside the highway not unlike the Ashbourne Toll House.
It was discovered that over the years, using documents provided by the client, the Ashbourne Toll Gate House has undergone many structural changes resulting in the footprint of the building now being dramatically different to when it was initially listed in 1974.
We also discovered it was built up close to the roadside (due to its original purpose) on a narrow plot, it was not until 117 years later that the adjacent land became part of the property, this land has never been fully integrated in use by the property and has even been used until recently for agricultural purposes. Recent high-density development in the immediate area also meant that there is no longer a rural aspect to the property. Therefore, it was concluded in our Statement of Heritage Significance that the proposed development of the adjacent land does not impact on the integrity of the listed building.
Permission was initially refused but we won on appeal and the planning inspector agreed with what we found stating:
‘Overall, I find that the proposed development will not harm the understanding and experience of the listed building. Accordingly, the effect of the development on the setting of Tollgate House, and to its significance would be negligible.’
Detailed factual historical research enabled Planning & Design to prove that the land being built on was never a factor in the significance of Toll gate House and that recent developments had compromised any argument for it being in a rural location. It is a great result for our client.
Statements of Heritage Significance, Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas
Planning & Design Practice have in house heritage specialists who work on a variety of projects that are concerned with Listed Building Consent, Conservation Areas and World Heritage Sites. We always work with the client and the councils to get the best outcome. If heritage is a deciding factor in your future development plans, please get in touch to find out how we can help you, on 01332 347371 or email enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.
Our Director Jon Millhouse, both a Chartered Town Planner and a Full Member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, brings us his winter 2024 Heritage Update on several of the interesting heritage and conservation projects that are happening in Derbyshire and those that we are currently working on.
This past year has seen the heritage team go from strength to strength securing some positive outcomes for clients working on complex heritage projects. We are fortunate to work in areas which contain a wide variety of historic buildings and landscapes. Our Derby office is situated within a well-preserved Georgian area of the city, that forms part of the Friargate Conservation Area, and within the grounds of the former Derbyshire County Jail.
Designed by Francis Goodwin, the Derby County Jail at Vernon Street opened in 1827 and was claimed as being “one of the most complete prisons in England”. It cost £66,227 to build, an enormous sum in the day, equivalent to around £7 million today. The building remained in use as a jail for around 100 years with executions regularly taking place, until the last public hanging in 1909.
Falling out of use as a prison following the First World War, in 1929 it was demolished, with only the imposing façade and boundary walls remaining. There then followed a 55 year period of use by the Preston Greyhound Racing Association Ltd, a regular part of the entertainment scene for the people of Derby.
At the other end of the spectrum, our Sheffield office is situated within the iconic Park Hill complex, one of the country’s best examples of 20th century Brutalist architecture and the largest listed building in Europe. Built between 1957 and 1961, following a period of decline, the estate is being renovated by developers Urban Splash. The renovation was one of the six short-listed projects for the 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize. The archetypal architecture of the site means it has featured in the films, This is England ‘90, a recent series of Doctor Who, lyrics by Sheffield band Pulp and in the award winning musical “Standing at the Sky’s Edge”, featuring songs by Sheffield’s Richard Hawley.
Park Hill, Sheffield
Cromford Mills, where Planning & Design also have an office, is one of the world’s foremost sites of industrial heritage. Built in the 18th Century by Sir Richard Arkwright the works were the first water-powered cotton-spinning mills in the world, and were at the spearhead of the Industrial Revolution. They now form part of the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Arkwright Society who manage the site has recently secured £379,000 from funders including the Rural Community Energy Fund, The Wolfson Foundation, Severn Trent Community Fund and Derbyshire County Council, to help bring waterpower back to the site.
The historic site, which played a pivotal role in shaping the Industrial Revolution as the first successful water powered cotton spinning mill in the world, has embarked on a project to install a new water wheel, hydro turbine and water source heating system. By utilizing the original water course, this system is expected to generate approximately 20 to 25% of on-site electricity.
In September Hydro power was on the agenda for the Peak District Business networking event held at Masson Mill Matlock Bath around the corner from Cromford where our heritage team learned about Derwent Hydroelectric Power Limited (DHPL) investment in the site which has long been powered by its own hydroelectric turbines, with any surplus fed into the National Grid the new owners spoke about their plans to capitalise on that position with proposals to improve its generating capacity and create new visitor facilities.
Further down the Derwent regeneration specialists Wavensmere homes are also harnessing Hydro power at their development on an old factory site at Milford Mills, which is situated on the A6 between Duffield and Belper. The 4.7 acres industrial heritage landmark will be transformed into 69 properties comprising one and two bedroom apartments and two, three and four bedroom homes. It is great to see that lessons from the past can be utilised for powering homes of the future.
Working for our client, Clowes Developments, we were pleased to secure planning permission allowing the refurbishment of the Royal Exchange Buildings in Derby city centre.
A Grade II Listed property, the Royal Exchange Buildings, are located in a Conservation Area on Victoria Street in Derby’s city centre and have played a significant part of the city’s history. Clowes Developments are embarking on a project to refurbish the existing offices on the third floor, which has led to the submission of a Listed Building application. The upcoming refurbishment, guided by careful planning and conservation efforts, aims to preserve this historic gem while ensuring its relevance in the modern era. By balancing the needs of the present with the importance of the past, the Royal Exchange Buildings will continue to be a cherished part of Derby’s heritage for generations to come.
The Royal Exchange Buildings, Derby City Centre
This past year has seen the team tackling more complex projects which have to abide by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) guidelines. This is because these projects lie within the DVMWHS and require a higher level of Heritage Impact Assessments.
One such project was with Chevin Homes and their plans to convert and refurbish St Matthews House a Grade II* former school in Darley Abbey. The building is an architectural gem with an imposing classical façade containing a John Whitehurst clock. It was an early example of a purpose built school provided by the Evans family for their mill workers children A highly sensitive and important building it was crucial that changes proposed, so that the building can remain in use, are able to happen yet still enhance and reveal its heritage significance. We work closely with the councils conservation teams and Historic England to ensure that a good outcome can be found.
St. Matthew’s House, Darley Abbey
Having gained planning permission for Meadowview Homes to build 64 homes on the site of the former Glapwell Estate and hall, we have continued to work with our client on reintroducing a formal garden setting as part of the development which will contain public art, unique garden features, and a children’s play area for residents to enjoy and to link up the site to surrounding parts of the village. The public art element will be in three separate areas across the site, with a distinct design theme running through them to bring cohesion to the pieces. Meadowview Homes chose an award-winning dry stone waller Andrew Loudon who uses local materials and themes that reflect the community. He is working in collaboration with CB Arts Chris Brammall one of the leading metalworkers in the UK and responsible for the sculpture on the Chesterfield roundabout. The project was recently the subject of a feature in Derbyshire Life magazine.
Public art is also featuring at another Meadowview homes site in Stretton North Derbyshire where permission to install a bench with heritage interpretation of the nearby Roman road ‘Rykenield Street’ as part of its design is being sought.
Public art at the former Glapwell Estate. Image: JSO Architectural Visualisation
The heritage team at PDP helped to inform development proposals at Middleton by Wirksworth for our client Woodhall homes ensuring sensitive designs, reflective of their historic context which was key to securing planning permission. Middleton is a delightful old lead mining village nestled in the Derbyshire Dales hills. We worked closely with Woodhall Homes and their architects to devise a bespoke design befitting of the location; one of the largest housing developments to be approved in the Dales in recent years.
Planning permission was secured for a barn conversion in Ible located within the Peak District National Park which comprised of a number of historic buildings including traditional stone and brick farmhouses, converted barns and more modern agricultural buildings. The application was accompanied by a comprehensive Heritage Report which outlined the significance of the barn which helped inform the Local Planning Authority in their assessment of the application. The barn makes a positive contribution to the landscape and the special qualities of the Peak District National Park. The retention and preservation of the building was therefore important consideration given that it is no longer in agricultural use and is slowly falling into a state of disrepair. The application proposed a new use for the barn which consequently would secure its long-term future.
Barn conversion, Ible in the Peak District National Park
Appeal triumph when planning permission was granted for a new access with entrance fencing and field gate and associated landscaping and hedge planting at Sherbourne Mill Turnditch, the old access was over a bridge that was subject to flooding. The main issues were the effect the new access had on the setting of the Grade II Listed Buildings known as Sherbourne Mill and Sherbourne Mill House; and the effect of the development on the landscape character of the area.We argued that there were considerable benefits that together outweigh the less than substantial harm to the designated heritage assets of which the planning inspector agreed.
Our heritage team also assisted with the successful outline planning application for the erection of up to 25 houses on Belper Road Ashbourne. The main issues were landscape impact and impact upon the character and appearance of the area and the impact on the Grade II Gate Farm, and 18th century farmhouse and attached farm buildings. With our in-house architectural team we devised a sensitive design approach which aims to assimilate with the local context.
We also enjoyed success at appeal when tasked with writing a Statement of Heritage Significance for owners of The Toll Gate House on the outskirts of Ashbourne to aid with planning permission for a home to be built on land they own adjacent to the property. You can read more about that project HERE.
This year has also seen the heritage team expand their geographical coverage. We worked further afield on projects in Staffordshire, rural Barnsley and at the Cannon Hall Estate in South Yorkshire and in the Victorian seaside town of Filey.
Jowett House Farm, Cannon Hall Estate
For updates on these projects and more information on all things planning and architecture related, as well as expert advice and opinion, sign up to receive our free Monthly Newsletter.
To discuss how we can assist with your own heritage project, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01332 347371 or email enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.
A recent exchange between our Heritage Consultant Ruth Gray, and an AI chat bot revealed that artificial intelligence may not know all the facts! Read on to find out more!
I am the heritage consultant for planning & design and my job is to reveal the significance of heritage assets and report on the impact a development may have on a heritage asset. Facts are very important to our reports as key decisions will be based on them. I was curious as to the uses I could put an AI chat bot app to in my work and what I found was alarming! I asked it a simple question:
Me:‘ Tell me about John Smedley Mills is it still open?’
It answered with this;
‘Smedley’s Mill today provides apartment living, office units, workshops, restaurants, shops and communal areas. Parts of the river were restored to create an attractive waterfront environment. The regeneration honoured the mill’s textile heritage.’
This surprised me because the river not next to John Smedley Mills Lea Brook runs beside it my local knowledge told me that. So, I asked it something else;
Me: ‘Isn’t John Smedley the longest running knitwear factory in the world?’
It replied:
‘Yes, you’re absolutely right. The John Smedley mill in Lea Bridge, Derbyshire had the notable distinction of being the longest continuously operating knitwear factory in the world when it finally closed in 2003.’
Closed? I know for a fact it isn’t closed! So I asked it something else;
Me: ‘It’s still open at Lea bridge making knitwear?’
Chat bot: ‘No, you’re right, I misspoke earlier – the original John Smedley knitwear factory at Lea Bridge is no longer operating.’
Anyway, after a lot of back and forth with this ill-informed chat bot I copied and pasted direct information from John Smedley’s current website and its reply was:
‘I clearly had outdated information suggesting the Lea Bridge factory had closed. Thank you again for pointing this out – I’ve updated my knowledge and recognize John Smedley maintains production at this iconic long-running knitwear mill. Please let me know if I can clarify or expand on this correction.’
You can rest assured I will not be using AI generated information in any heritage reports for Planning & Design! Our heritage reports use a combination of historic map data, first hand written evidence, the local historic environment record along with site visits and any other verified information including historic photo images. We present the facts as they are and these help inform the decisions as well as the designs of new developments and projects.
Chat Bot – past, present and future
AI will undoubtedly have its place in our lives in the future but beware of what it can also do to our past! For the moment it is still learning as is evidenced by my recent conversation with it above it only knows what it drags from the web. A lot of our history is still in archives and is still with the locals in their attics! AI hasn’t got all the information ………..yet!
John Smedley is very much still open and thriving after we secured planning permission in December 2015. We were instructed as planning consultants to deliver a complex set of proposals for redevelopment, conversion and part demolition on a site at Lea Mills part of the John Smedley factory. The ‘East Site’ was no longer needed for garment manufacture and development was needed to secure a beneficial future use for the land and buildings and to support the company’s development and expansion. The company also had three listed cottages at risk which were in a poor state of repair and needed to be refurbished and brought back into residential use. You can find out more about the project at this link.
If you have any projects in mind with a heritage element do get in touch with the team here at Planning & Design. This article was written by a human!
Planning & Design Practice have successfully secured full planning permission for the installation of a sprinkler system and associated apparatus at the factory of John Smedley Limited textile manufacturers in Lea Mills, Matlock, Derbyshire. The site is of historic importance as the world’s oldest manufacturing factory in continuous operation. It is the last surviving operational textile mill in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.
The sprinkler system is both a health and safety, and insurance requirement for the continued operation of the manufacturing business, which brings considerable employment and other economic benefits to the local area. Evidencing this need and the value of the continued operation of the manufacturer was key in securing planning permission.
The site’s historic importance and location within the Castle Top/Lea Bridge and High Peak Conservation Area, and the Dethick, Lea & Holloway Conservation Area required a detailed heritage impact assessment and design expertise to ensure sympathetic design of the new pump house, water tank, and exterior fittings required for the sprinkler system. This involved choosing an inconspicuous colour scheme, recessed design and incorporating suitable screening.
The design of the proposed additions, consideration of heritage impacts and the clear business need for the development was sufficient to achieve approval from Derbyshire Dales District Council. Planning & Design Practice’s in-house heritage experts are able to respond to the complex requirements for development in Conservation Areas, working collaboratively with our core team of planning practitioners and architectural specialists to secure favourable planning outcomes.
This collaborative approach has formed our strong reputation for providing honest and sound commercial advice, skilled presentation, advocacy and negotiation, with a successful track record since being founded in 2002.
A history of success at John Smedley factory
We have had previous successes with John Smedley Ltd. Planning & Design were previously instructed as planning consultants to deliver a complex set of proposals for redevelopment, conversion and part demolition on a site at the Lea Mills part of the John Smedley factory. The ‘East Site’ was no longer needed for garment manufacture and development was needed to secure a beneficial future use for the land and buildings and to support the company’s development and expansion. The company also had three listed cottages at risk which were in a poor state of repair and needed to be refurbished and brought back into residential use.
Permission was granted for the redevelopment of surplus land and buildings at the factory site to provide 26 new homes, through a combination of conversion and new build.
You can read more about that project at this link.
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? We are also able to provide our professional opinion on the planning potential of your property at the outset.
For more information, or to discuss your proposals please contact us at enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk or phone 01332 347371.
Alice Wibberley (placement student July 2023) with Emily Anderson, Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
What to do with a massive mill complex left over from the Industrial Revolution? Our Heritage Consultant Ruth Gray looks at how careful ownership can be the key to a building’s successful re-purposing and create a 21st century asset, capitalising on the new industries of leisure and tourism.
The North and East Mill set on Derbyshire’s Derwent River on the edge of town was Belper’s beating heart since the 18th century until finally the last workers left as the textile industry and the building itself could finally no longer feasibly function.
All over the country and indeed world there are huge complex buildings that were built for specific industries that lie empty awaiting an alternative use. But finding that use is a long and drawn-out process, and we all know of sites that become derelict eyesores while we wait for the various stakeholders to come together to find a solution. Meanwhile the general public look on in bewilderment as a building literally crumbles before their eyes and in the case of the East Mill in Belper Peregrines make a home, vegetation takes hold causing the bricks to tumble and the doors to seize up from the damp. It’s a sad sight for the towns people.
The added complication is that the North and East Mill in Belper lie within the UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and the North Mill is Grade I listed, and the East Mill is Grade II listed it is a highly significant site. Finding the optimal viable use for such buildings is crucial in order to retain them for future generations as well as to continue to tell the story of the place that helped develop the international cotton industry with unique methods and inventions.
Salts Mill – an example of what to do
Positive ownership is the key to saving these buildings it is crucial and the only way to make the difference. Often a project is so complex it takes an alternative route to kick start the process. As a case study Salts Mill in Saltaire is a comparable example of a large mill complex in a WHS that has kickstarted the rejuvenation of Saltaire bringing prosperity via culture. Jonathan Silver was an entrepreneur from Bradford he bought Salts Mill in 1987. The mill was in a dilapidated state, but Silver could see the building’s potential, and transformed it.
But he didn’t do it all at once he did not have a blueprint. He did the following:
The only masterplan he ever had (a shopping mall plus marina) was quickly dropped.
Architect Rod Hackney advised him not to be in a hurry to let space at Salts, but to wait for quality clients. Silver heeded this advice.
He accepted a suggestion to start off by putting on theatrical events by the IOU company and Opera North. He believed regeneration can start from any point, no matter how small. It does not have to be large-scale.
Wherever possible he avoided committees, red tape, bureaucracy, which he said impede decisive decision-making.
He went for quality, didn’t cut corners and wasn’t afraid of allowing someone to make a profit from his enterprise.
Saltaire, Bradford, West Yorkshire. October, 2013, View of Salts Mill, a UNESCO world heritage site and gallery and diner
Cromford Mill further up the valley are in the process of achieving a similar outcome to Salts Mill the Arkwright Society has taken the long road working step by step to save the important buildings and build sustainability through a mix of events and business tenants.
For the Belper Mills there are two live planning applications, AVA-2018-0818 and AVA-2018-0819. 0818 is the main application and covers works proposed to the East Mill, North Mill, Workshops, Strutt House and the Archway Bridge/Gangway over the road. Five years since they were first submitted its still ongoing. Privately owned and mired in bureaucracy there is not a lot that the general public can do but wait. Although buildings such as these do not have time to wait, they are like critically ill patients that need immediate attention and careful custodianship.
Planning & Design Practice were thrilled to be able to tour the W.W. Winter Ltd studios in January and see this incredible world unique premises that transports you back to the days when photography was in its infancy and the general public were able for the first time to have a reproduction of themselves previously only available by the hands of artists. Winter’s premises, built in 1867, include the oldest purpose-built photographic studio still in operation for its original purpose, built to a design by the Derby architect Henry Isaac Stevens.
W.W. Winter – a history
W.W. Winter Ltd is said to be the oldest extant photographic business in the UK, tracing its history back to its establishment in 1852. William Walter (or Walter William) Winter who was born at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk in 1842, son of Cornelius Jansen Walter Winter (1819-1891), a portrait and animal painter, and his wife Anna Self Shipston. Winter started off as an assistant to E.N. Charles at 2 Midland Road. When the latter died in March 1863, Winter married Charles’ widow Sarah and took over the business, this took place sometime after 1866.
W.W. Winter advertised himself in Wright’s 1874 Trade Directory as a photographic artist and dealer in works of art, with premises at Midland Road, Derby. In 1881, he had a studio at 22 & 24 Midland Road – and resided at 3 Midland Road – but had moved his premises to number 45 by 1887. By 1891, his wife Sarah had died, and in 1889 Walter married a second time, to Hannah Ness Ruddle.
He was an Alderman (member of council) retired in 1909 and sold the firm in the following year. The business continued to operate under the name W.W. Winter, and from at least 1912 had additional premises at 22 St. Peter’s Churchyard, Derby (Craven, 1993). Winter himself died in 1924.
In 2018 the company launched the W.W. Winter Heritage Trust, with the intention to advance the education of the public in the history of photography, in particular that relating to W. W. Winter Ltd., the city of Derby and the East Midlands. This is achieved through a series of public meetings and lectures; and to manage, care for, make accessible and develop the collection of images in the W. W. Winter archive.
Whilst some of the thousands of images have been archived and added to a database, many thousands more remain still to be rediscovered and part of the W. W. Winter Heritage Trust’s remit is to scan and record these old glass plate and film negatives.
W. W. Winter main entrance
W. W. Winter Ltd for 170 years have been photographing the people of Derby, and recording the changing face of the city. The company is an institution in the local community, holding extensive archives of photographic material and associated artifacts which chart the company’s history alongside the history of Derby. Planning & Design Practice wish to thank the volunteers and staff at W W. Winter for the incredibly insightful tour and highly recommend you visit this one of a kind premises that truly is a window into Derby’s past.
Planning & Design – Built heritage specialists
At Planning & Design Practice we 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 the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.
Our Heritage Team is comprised of Director Jon Millhouse who specialises in heritage planning and is a Full Member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation together with our Architectural team leader Lindsay Cruddas, a registered Specialist Conservation Architect and our Heritage Consultants Ruth Gray recently completed a Masters in Public History and Heritage at the University of Derby.
Thinking of buying a listed building or a home in a Conservation Area? For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 013332 347371 to find out how we can help.
World heritage status was bestowed on the Derwent Valley in 2001 in recognition of its international significance for the developments that took place there in the late 18th century that led to lasting technological and cultural changes which resonated around the world.
Planning & Design Practice regularly work with buildings that are within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site (DVMWHS). UNESCO encourages all planning applications that effect WHSs to include a Heritage Impact Assessment in accordance with the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) guidance. The site runs from Matlock Bath to Derby and includes mills and purpose-built factory workers houses and unique transport systems many of the properties are Listed Buildings and there are several Conservation Areas.
The complexity of all this wonderful heritage can be confusing for anyone wanting to make alterations to their property or make changes to the use of a building. Our in-house heritage team can provide Heritage Impact Assessments to support your planning applications if you live in the WHS or its buffer zone.
Test your knowledge of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site in our quick quiz:
1: What is the length in kilometres is the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site from North to South?
2: What is the name of the structure in which the mill bell on top of Masson Mill is situated?
3: In 1771 Richard Arkwright built Cromford Mill what is the name of the water source he used to power the mill?
4: Cromford Station was part of the Manchester, Matlock, Buxton, and Midlands Junction Railway, now known as the Derwent Valley Line, but it’s also famous for its use by what Brit pop band for its record cover?
5: Planning & Design recently helped enable the restoration of the four workers cottages adjacent to John Smedley’s Mill at Lea Bridge. John Smedley (1803-1874) wasn’t the original owner of the mill complex, who was the original owner who had a famous daughter?
6: What was special about the design of the rebuilt 1804 North Mill in Belper?
7: There are several well-known textile mills within the Derwent Valley Mills WHS but what is the name of the former paper mill in Little Eaton that sits on the banks of the River Derwent?
8: What year was the Silk Mill at Derby built? A. 1771 B. 1804 C. 1721
Scroll down for answers!
Our Heritage Team
Director Jon Millhouse specialises in heritage planning and is a Full Member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation. Architectural team leader Lindsay Cruddas is a registered Specialist Conservation Architect. Our Heritage Assistant Ruth Gray recently completed a Masters in Public History and Heritage at the University of Derby.
We use our experience to provide the right level of detail to accompany applications for planning permission and listed building consent. For more information on our team, and the Heritage Services we offer please contact us on 01332 347371.
Answers:
24K
Cupola
Bonsall Brook.
“Some Might Say” is a song by English rock band Oasis. It was released as the first single on 24 April 1995 from their second studio album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995).
Peter Nightingale built the complex in 1783 powered by the Lea Brook his daughter was Florence Nightingale.
After a fire in 1803 that destroyed Belper North Mill William Strutt was the first to systematically tackle the threat of fire in textile mills by first cladding with plaster and then by the use of iron and brick. Every aspect of the North Mill is was designed to resist combustion.
Peckwash Mill. Paper mills supported the textile mills using the cotton waste as a raw material to produce wrapping for parcels before they were dispatched to customers, the paper was also used for admin purposes.
1721. The silk mill was the first large scale factory style production complex to be powered by a single undershot wheel. The mill was five storeys high 33.5m long and 12 m wide. By 1730 300 people are said to be employed at the Silk Mill.
Planning & Design Practice are delighted to have helped redesign and negotiate a successful planning application for a new extension to the club house at Belper Rugby Club. The site is situated in a sensitive location within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and next door to the Grade II Listed Babbington Hospital, which was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, who also co-designed the Houses of Parliament.
Belper Rugby Union Football Club (BRUFC) is a community-based, popular rugby club and is the flagship rugby club in Amber Valley. The club was founded in 1975 and in the early years the club played its games on local pitches, using public houses for a clubhouse. In the 1980’s the club moved to Eyes Meadows, Duffield where it developed to regularly field three senior sides.
In 1995 the club identified Strutts Field as a possible new home. The school, which ran the site were finding it a burden and were looking for a partner to help with its upkeep, whilst not losing its use. After discussions, the club and school saw the benefit of working together and a lease was signed (with Derbyshire County Council) prior to the 1995/6 season. Strutts School has since closed and transferred to a new site on the Parks Estate. The current lease with Derbyshire County Council runs until 2056.
Initially there was only changing facilities at the site and in 1996 Amber Valley Borough Council offered the club a prefabricated building that had previously been used as office accommodation. As these facilities were temporary, and with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the University of Derby School of Engineering, plans for a new clubhouse were approved with construction completed in 2004. The club currently comprises 4 changing rooms, referee changing rooms, a social area with kitchen and a fully licensed bar. These facilities were adequate at the time for 2 adult male teams. BRUFC are an entirely volunteer run, community sports club. The club has emerged from the pandemic in a healthy position and player numbers continue to grow.
Currently, BRUFC have 90 registered male players, 30 registered female players and 135 players aged under 18. BRUFC continue to play First and Second senior teams each week and regularly have 3rds/Veterans matches. BRUFC women’s team is thriving and has started playing in a development team league, and BRUFC Juniors section has both boys and girls regularly playing and training. As the club continues to grow there is a requirement for the clubhouse to extend to allow for the additional occupancy.
The existing social space is not large enough to accommodate existing membership, and as a result lose much needed revenue. The extension will provide facilities more suited to the more diverse membership and to visitors to the club. The extension will also result in the club being able to offer a new and much-needed social facility for the community of Belper in a town centre location. BRUFC intend to use the extension to the social area as a means to income generate by hiring it out for private functions, such as small weddings.
At Planning & Design Practice, we recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas. Our Heritage team includes Director Jon Millhouse, who is a Full Member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, Architectural team leader Lindsay Cruddas, a registered Specialist Conservation Architect and Heritage Assistant Ruth Gray who recently completed a Masters in Public History and Heritage at the University of Derby. For more information on the heritage services we offer, or for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out how we can help on 01332 347371.
As we look ahead to the new year and the new opportunities it will bring, Planning & Design Practice Ltd is expanding and excited to announce new additions to the team, with new recruits joining our planning, architectural and heritage teams.
Joining our approachable and experienced team of RIBA Chartered Architects and architectural assistants is Project Architect Manik Karunaratne. An Architects Registration Board (ARB) UK registered architect, Manik qualified in 2018 at the University of Nottingham, following an architectural journey comprised of several universities, having studied at the University of Derby, Nottingham Trent University and De Montfort University.
Having worked on commercial architecture practices previously, Manik has experience on office buildings, high rise apartments buildings, housing developments and barn conversions. Currently he is working on a variety of vernacular and domestic projects liaising closely with clients and further developing his knowledge in heritage and conservation.
Andrew Stock joins us as a Principal Planner, having spent over 7 years in local government. Andrew previously worked in development control as a Planning Officer at Herefordshire Council and, since 2016, as a Senior Planning Officer at Derbyshire Dales District Council.
During his time in local government Andrew gained a wealth of knowledge on a wide range of planning applications including residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural developments of various scales. Andrew will utilise his wealth of experience and local knowledge to assist the company in the preparation, submission and management of all types of planning applications going forward.
Having recently completed a Master’s degree in Public History and Heritage at the University of Derby, Ruth Gray joins our Heritage team as Heritage Assistant. Ruth will assist an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building Conservation) planner and a Specialist Conservation Architect, carrying out research and helping to prepare heritage assessments, listed building applications and planning applications in conservation areas, and within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage site, where we have worked on a number of successful projects. Prior to joining Planning & Design, Ruth was a heritage assistant at a charity in Nottingham supporting sector entrants to find their first role in museums and cultural institutions.
Continuing a tradition of encouraging and supporting emerging talent, we are also pleased to announce the addition to the team of: Joshua Bunce and Matthew Kempster as Junior Architectural Technicians; and Katy Francis, Emily Anderson, Caitlin Holton and Shaun Hyde as Graduate Planners.
Richard Pigott, Director said “We are excited to be growing the team again following the restructuring earlier in the year and the appointment of the new management team. This is in response to continuing demand for our services and demonstrates our confidence in the future in both our Derby and Sheffield offices, reflecting the positive economic outlook in these two great cities.”
Since being founded in 2002 Planning & Design Practice Ltd has earnt an excellent reputation for winning approvals and for creating attractive and viable proposals. The company has generated over £200m of uplift in land values for clients through its consents and proposals. The architectural side of the business boasts true international expertise having worked on large scale projects in Russia, Germany, Spain and the United States as well as across the UK. The company is able to design award winning proposals for a wide range of clients across the country.
The company’s heritage team can advise on listed buildings and developments in sensitive locations whilst maintaining a strong planning consultancy team. In 2019 our heritage work was recognised and awarded the Highly Commended Certificate for Excellence in Planning for Heritage & Culture at the recent RTPI East Midlands Awards for Planning Excellence 2019. The Highly Commended Certificate was for our work on the redevelopment of the ‘East Site’ at John Smedley Mills, Lea Bridge.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd were pleased to help Manchester based architects CAD Architecture to secure planning approval for a Sheffield apartment scheme, allowing the change of use and a rooftop extension of a landmark office building in the Sheffield city centre conservation area.
North Church House is a disused, uninspiring mid 20th century office block situated on a prominent corner plot in the historic quarter of Sheffield city centre. The applicants and their architects wished to extend the building upwards and convert it into apartments, but earlier versions of the design attracted objections from the City Council.
We assisted CAD Architecture by carrying out a heritage and context analysis, advising how the design could be amended to address the councils concerns, and explaining to the council how the development could be accommodated without harming the conservation area.
Planning & Design Practice director Jon Millhouse explains: “We looked carefully at the local context, how the development might sit in the street scene and be perceived from different viewpoints. As well as trying to assimilate the extension through setbacks and recessive materials, we also looked for opportunities for enhancement”.
Amended plans were approved in December and we look forward to seeing new life breathed back into this prominent building.
At Planning & Design Practice Ltd We 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 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.
We use our experience to provide the right level of detail to accompany applications for planning permission and listed building consent.
With an office at The Workstation we have a close connection with Sheffield with numerous clients and projects in the region. Please get in touch for advice on any planning issues or potential projects.
Main Image:Sheffield apartment scheme at North Church House, CAD architecture.
