Matlock Archives - Planning Design Ltd

Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Quiz

10th January 202314th December 2022 by Gary Stringer

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.

Heritage…in the balance

28th November 202214th February 2022 by Gary Stringer

Ruth Gray, Heritage Assistant at Planning & Design Practice looks back at her time spent living in Australia, and how that continent’s natural heritage led her to re-evaluate the built heritage of her homeland, and why preserving our heritage buildings must take account of modern concerns such as climate change.

Personally, I had no idea what heritage meant to me until I went to live by the Murray River on the border of New South Wales and Victoria in Albury Wodonga Australia, and after a while realised what I felt was missing was my own heritage, for example the food was familiar but different, their customs around holidays were great but different. But it was the buildings that at the time I didn’t realise held so much within their construction that connect with you. Having a tin roof and wood constructed walls with single glazing and no insulation in one of the hottest countries left me yearning for solid brick and mortar with stable foundations beneath my feet. With all but a few stone buildings there is not much physical to connect you building wise to the past.

Australia has of course natural heritage in spades and the landscape speaks to the people of its past, but nature also takes away swiftly anything that gets in its way and being there during the Black Saturday fires of February 2009 which destroyed over 3000 buildings the impermanence made me think it was time for me to return to the UK. According to UNESCO: ‘Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration’. This I agree with our heritage is irreplaceable, once it is destroyed, we have all lost something. To pass it on is important but its not to say that it can’t develop.

The daily struggle in planning is the tension between the clients who want to change and evolve their properties and those who push against those changes. I am all for preserving our heritage but not at the expense of keeping every single thing set in its time forever we must evolve especially in light of climate change and improve our buildings carbon footprints. I believe Australian buildings have moved on in the last 15 years since I was there as they continue to bear the brunt of environmental disasters. Locally technological changes with innovative products (for example, double glazing that mimics single glazing) means that we can both advance and preserve our old buildings while at the same time improve their footprint.

One of my first assignments for Planning & Design has been Grade II listed Belmont Cottage situated on a steep hillside in Matlock Bath, which was nearly destroyed by fire also, this Georgian Villa revealed itself to be of heritage significance because not just because of its structure but for the artist who lived there James Rawlinson. The group of buildings that Belmont is a part of were built by the Rawlingson family. The Rawlinson’s over three generations were a talented family, and James was the most eminent. Although his father George Rawlinson (1734-1823) was a Derby architect of whom it has been said ‘was Arkwright’s architect of choice’. Through working on this property, I have been able to see what the impact that a combination of artistic and architectural heritage significance has had on the client plans. There has been a balancing act of sensitive new additions and preservations that we hope will be approved soon and bring back into use this lovely family home.

Houses like Belmont Cottage which need careful consideration are a perfect example of a building that could be lost if it is not allowed to be sensitively developed. My time in Australia showed me what happens when something is destroyed for good by fire it is devasting to see entire towns disappear in one weekend. In the UK we are very lucky to have layers of heritage assets and to be able to read those and understand our past it is truely a privilege. While it may not be possible for clients to make all the changes they want to a building and others to ensure everything stays exactly the same, this is our heritage and it is important to the wider community. However, it also it has to meet 21st century living standards, along with meeting climate change targets. Therefore, it is a fine line to be trodden when dealing with a heritage building, respecting its past but also guaranteeing it has a sustainable future to ensure it is passed on as a viable asset for generations to come with a low impact on the environment.

Ruth Gray, Heritage Assistant, Planning & Design Practice

Photo Credit: BBC News

New extension for converted agricultural building

28th November 202225th October 2021 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice Ltd are delighted that planning permission has been granted for a new extension that will provide a family home in Derbyshire with a porch/utility room.

The site comprises an agricultural building which has recently been converted to a house.

The dwelling is set to the northwest end of a field, accessed via a gate to the south which is accessed off Alders Lane in Tansley, a small village east of Matlock. The building is set close to the junction of Alders Lane and Thatchers Lane. There are residential properties to the north and west off Thatchers Lane, and hedge/trees align the boundary to the west of the site.

Full planning permission is sought to extend the dwellinghouse to provide a porch/utility room on its rear elevation.

The extension is proposed to measure 9m wide and 2.5m deep. It was proposed to have a dual pitched roof to a height of 2.9m; this has been amended to a lean to roof to avoid the ‘valley’ at the suggestion of officers and the overall height is roughly the height of a proposed boundary fence but takes the mass slightly further away from the boundary. The elevations and roof were originally proposed to be constructed with dark grey metal cladding, to align with the metal cladding on the dwellinghouse, except for the south elevation which was proposed to match the render of the dwelling. This has also been amended in order that the extension has all elevations in metal cladding.

It was considered that the extension will appear as a modest, latter addition, in simple materials, that a farmer may add to an agricultural building to expand its capacity. It is certainly subservient to the main building and in such a location as to not compromise the main elevations of the building. It is also largely screened by an established hedge/trees and fence along the western boundary and is set on a lower level. In this regard, the extension is considered acceptable in its scale, design and materials.

In the last 18 months many of us have sought to adapt and improve our homes in response to changing work and living habits. For a free, no obligation consultation and expert advice on how to adapt and improve your home, please contact us.

Planning permission to facilitate care for creatures great and small at Derbyshire veterinary practice

29th November 202217th March 2021 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice have successfully gained planning approval for a rear extension and new front porch entrance to a friendly and well-known independent veterinary practice within Matlock, Derbyshire. The veterinary practice moved into the Grade II Listed building that was formerly a pub and hotel called the Boat House Hotel which sits within the Matlock Dale Conservation Area.

The veterinary practice opened to the public in June 2016 following substantial internal renovation. Subsequently, the rapidly expanding practice has seen the need of extra space, for the back of house functions, such as operating rooms and storage. A previous planning application for a large rear extension to the existing former pub house was submitted, but was unsuccessful, which prompted the veterinary to approach Planning & Design to help them gain approval for this much needed extension to facilitate the future growth of the business.

As the Boat House Hotel is a Listed building, it is important to preserve and respect the existing building. The previous, unsuccessful design was for a single-story rear extension that abutted right up to most of the rear elevation of the existing building, with a flat roof design and used up most of the courtyard footprint to the rear.

After pre-application discussions and liaison between the clients and the local authority, Planning & Design were able to get approval for a design which better responds to the existing listed building in terms of scale, form and design, whilst also providing the client with the extra space needed to grow the veterinary practice business. The approved design has mostly moved away from the existing rear elevation of the existing building by incorporating two glass links which lead from the existing property to the new proposed extension with a central courtyard between the two links. The new extension is of a pitched roof form and more of a scale which is subservient to the listed building. The new design incorporates a stone plinth base and a rendered finish along with the glass links, providing a scheme which better preserves the historic character of the existing building and its surroundings.

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.

If you are 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.

We can support your development aspirations through the various stages of the planning process, including (but not limited to): feasibility studies, site promotion through the local plan, pre-applications, outline & full planning applications and appeals.

For more information, and a free half an hour consultation to discuss your project, please contact us.

Historic mine storage building to be converted to a 3 bed dwelling

29th November 202224th November 2020 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice Ltd has been successful in achieving planning permission for the restoration and conversion of a historic mine building with links to two very rare minerals in Cromford, just outside Wirksworth. The site consists of a former miner’s building which is currently in use as a storage building. The building is historically connected with Bage Mine, a highly productive former lead mine. The mine was worked from at least the mid-18th Century – and very probably much earlier – through to circa 1910, yielding a total tonnage of lead ore (galena) that was only exceeded (in the Derbyshire ore field) by Millclose Mine. The mine is also the source of two very rare lead minerals, matlockite and cromfordite, both of which were first identified from this site.

The building itself, according to a document on the Peak District Mines Historical Society website is a former store shed built in connection with the mine. As can be seen from the photographs, in its current state, particularly with the way the front elevation has been rebuilt in different materials, it is considered that the building makes no positive contribution to the character area and its future was in doubt unless a viable future use could be found. Working with the planning authority and conservation officer, our proposal was designed to ensure that the traditional and simple industrial/workshop character of the building was retained, constituting a sensitive conversion of the building. The rebuild element to the north of the building will have a simple industrial character, again ensuring it is sympathetic to the site. The result will be a tasteful 3 bedroom dwelling finished in a combination of traditional limestone, black corrugated metal cladding and render.

We look forward to seeing the converted building in use in the near future.

Obtaining planning permission can provide you with that dream home in the countryside or maybe the way of life you have always dreamt of.

It can also bring about significant gains and help to maximise the value of your rural property. However, development in the countryside is subject to strict planning controls which can make obtaining planning permission very difficult. We have vast experience of working on rural projects for homeowners, landowners and farmers in rural areas including agricultural dwellings and occupancy conditions, farm diversification schemes and Class Q barn conversions. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a no obligation consultation to discuss a particular building or project.

Richard Pigott, Director, Planning & Design Practice Ltd

Derwent Valley Mills Management Plan Consultation

1st November 2019 by Gary Stringer

During 2018/19 significant work has been carried out to agree a vision for the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site (DVMWHS), creating a Management Plan detailing the aims, objectives and actions to help deliver that vision up to the year 2025.

The vision is clear, with the aim to

“Create and promote a local, national and international understanding and identity for the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site as a cohesive and coherent whole, based on its global significance for all of humankind.”

From 11 October to 8 November 2019, the DVMWHS Co-ordination Team has been seeking the public’s opinion on the latest version of this draft Management Plan, for final changes to be made in November. The Plan will then be submitted to Historic England and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for clearance, before being submitted to UNESCO in January 2020.

You can read more and download a low-res version of the draft Management Plan at this LINK

World Heritage Sites, such as (DVMWHS) are places of global significance. Recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) through the World Heritage Convention, which has been ratified by the 193 member states of the United Nations (out of 206 recognised), including HM Government.

The industrial buildings within the Derwent Valley Mills may be considered to be unique in that they were the first of examples of what was to become the model for factories throughout the world in subsequent centuries.

The Derwent Valley was where the modern factory system was developed and established, beginning with the construction of the Silk Mill in Derby in 1721 for the brothers John and Thomas Lombe, which housed machinery for throwing silk, based on an Italian design. The scale, output, and numbers of workers employed were unprecedented. In 1771 Richard Arkwright constructed a water-powered spinning mill at Cromford, followed by a second, larger mill in 1776-77 which truly established the “Arkwright System” and the Industrial Revolution. The workers’ housing associated with this and the other mills are intact and span 24km of the Derwent Valley from the edge of Matlock Bath in the north almost to the centre of Derby in the south, incorporating the four principal industrial settlements of Cromford, Belper, Milford, and Darley Abbey.

Your comments on the draft Management Plan can be emailed to info@derwentvalleymills.org until 5pm on Friday 8 November 2019. Clear, concise comments would be appreciated.

Planning & Design recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas. We have worked on numerous schemes in and around the World Heritage site and involving Listed Buildings, and Conservation Areas. Recently we were awarded with the Highly Commended Certificate for Excellence in Planning for Heritage & Culture at the RTPI East Midlands Awards for Planning Excellence 2019 for our work on the redevelopment of the ‘East Site’ at John Smedley Mills within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Director Jon Millhouse specialises in heritage planning and design team leader Lindsay Cruddas is a registered Specialist Conservation Architect.

“With one of the longest histories of any town in the country, Derby has a rich history which manifests itself in our built heritage, its conservation areas and the UNESCO World Heritage site, of which we should be rightly proud” said Jon Millhouse, Director at Planning & Design.

“The Management Plan consultation will help to preserve the special character of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site for many years to come. Identifying innovative approaches, and re-evaluating the assets of the area within the local economy, will help ensure a sustainable and viable future for this unique historical site which will bear fruit long into the 21st century and beyond.”

Permission secured for log cabin scheme near Matlock

12th December 20228th November 2018 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice have recently secured permission for a development of 5 log cabins on a site at Doehole, near Matlock, for use as holiday accommodation. The project represents a farm diversification scheme for our client, who also produced their own business plan in support of the application.

A substantial amount of preparatory work was involved in the preparation of the application itself, including a Landscape and Visual Appraisal, which assessed the potential impact of the development from viewpoints in the wider landscape, as well as traffic surveys to inform the safest point of access to the proposal site. Given that the site is an agricultural field, a tree report was required to establish which trees should be retained and to define root protection areas, as well as an ecological appraisal of the site to assess any potential impacts on biodiversity.

The scheme included a new entrance to the site from the highway, an access road, and parking spaces for each cabin. The site layout was carefully designed to fit around and between existing trees and hedges on the site, to make best use of the existing landscape screening that this provided.

The development was approved after lengthy negotiations with the planning officers at North East Derbyshire District Council – their planning policy states that new tourist accommodation comprising of static caravans (which the proposed log cabins technically are) will not normally be acceptable outside of the built framework of settlements. In order to make the scheme acceptable, additional detail had to be provided regarding the construction of the access road, and the positioning of the cabins had to be amended to make the layout more ‘informal’.

A Transport Statement also had to be submitted to provide more information to County Highways officers, to satisfy their concerns.

Additionally, a substantial amount of supplementary landscaping planting was proposed, along with a detailed schedule of tree types and sizes, plus a maintenance plan for the landscaping as it matures. This is to ensure that the planning policy requirements can be met, by not having an adverse impact upon – but being assimilated into – the surrounding landscape, and that the site is well screened and is of a sympathetic design and layout.

Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Quiz

Test your knowledge of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site in our quick quiz:

Scroll down for answers!

Our Heritage Team

Answers:

Heritage…in the balance

New extension for converted agricultural building

Planning permission to facilitate care for creatures great and small at Derbyshire veterinary practice

Historic mine storage building to be converted to a 3 bed dwelling

Derwent Valley Mills Management Plan Consultation

Permission secured for log cabin scheme near Matlock

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