Wirksworth Archives - Planning Design Ltd

Planning success in the Wirksworth Conservation Area

29th November 202222nd September 2021 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice Ltd were delighted to have secured planning permission for a subordinate, single-storey extension on the gable-end of a property (east elevation), within the Wirksworth Conservation Area.

The application property is part of a small row of barn conversions, situated on the eastern side of Wirksworth and set back from the busy main road.

An application for a ground floor and basement extension was approved in 2013. The scheme was never implemented, and this was a fresh application for a ground floor extension which will comprise of a new, single-storey extension.

There was no longer a desire to excavate the ground to provide a basement extension, as it is deemed that this application will provide sufficient and a necessary increase in floorspace to create an additional habitable room.

The extension will mean there will be a reshuffle of the ground floor layout, where the extension will create an additional room which will comprise of a new kitchen. The old kitchen will be changed to a bedroom.

The extension will adjoin to the existing gable on the eastern elevation. The extension will have a pitched roof to match the existing gable.

The extension will measure 2.7m to the eaves (same as existing barn) and will measure 5.5m to the ridge which is approximately 400mm lower than existing barn. The extension will create an additional room that will measure 29.5m2, which will increase the overall footprint of the dwelling to 129m2.

The main issues to assess was considered to be the impact that the proposal will have on the character and appearance of the main property and also the impact that it will have on the surrounding area. The proposal will form a subordinate extension to a barn conversion. On balance, it is not considered to appear disproportionate, or to have an adverse impact on the surrounding area.

The extension would be built in the same materials to match the existing set of barns. The ridge is set down from the main building and the front face set back, so that the extension is clearly subservient to the main dwelling and there would be no problems with the junction of the adjoining stonework. It is therefore deemed that the extension would enhance the character and appearance of the building and the contribution this makes to the Wirksworth Conservation Area.

We recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas and have the in-house expertise to ensure that proposals are designed sympathetically to conserve and enhance historic buildings and sites.

For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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

Planning permission for bungalow in Conservation area

4th December 20194th December 2019 by Gary Stringer

Planning & Design Practice finally received planning permission for a bungalow within a Conservation area in Derbyshire.

The location is about 4 miles from Wirksworth and 6 miles from Ashbourne. The whole of Kirk Ireton is designated as a Conservation area.

It has been a long process with the local authority on this project due to many legislative constraints to overcome.

The existing site is approx. 1000m2 and currently forms part of the extensive garden associated with the Beehive property.

An outline was previously submitted for this site back in 2015. This was refused as the local authority had concerns over the size of the proposed bungalow in comparison to the size of the plot, the proximity to the neighbouring property and that the form of the proposed was out of keeping of the character and appearance of Kirk Ireton.

Since the 2015 refusal there were extensive consultations with the local authority following two other appeal decisions in the village. These two appeal decisions allowed for a few key points, which were;

Affirmed that the village is suitable to accommodate additional housing
Kirk Ireton is a sustainable settlement
Modern developments are acceptable on the edge of the village without harm to the Conservation area

Consequently, these appeals led to a change in attitude of the local authority who agreed that the development of this site would be acceptable in principle. The council laid out how they felt this site should be developed, which led to how the approved scheme took shape.

The approved scheme is a single storey l-shaped bungalow using natural coursed gritstone and Staffordshire blue clay tiles. The scheme has also been designed to provide a future proof layout incorporating fully accessible features for the client. The council’s guided pre-application response for a property that has an agricultural barn/stables have been taken on-board by Planning & Design’s approved scheme.

Planning success in the Wirksworth Conservation Area

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

Planning permission for bungalow in Conservation area

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