Date: 23/11/2009
Plans for a new supermarket, hotel, office building and four shops in Buxton are to be determined by High Peak Borough Council.
Tabled by Zurich Assurance, Threadneedle Asset Management and Sainsbury's, the proposal for Spring Gardens Shopping Centre and Car Park will be considered by the Planning Committee on Monday 30 November.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will take place in the Octagon, Pavilion Gardens, St. John's Road at 5.30pm.
Written comments should be submitted to the Council by 5pm on Monday 23 November. Residents can comment online by visiting the council's website at www.highpeak.gov.uk and clicking the link on the right-hand side of the home page. It is not necessary to resubmit comments that have already been sent in to the council.
Council planning officers have recommended refusal of the scheme for four reasons:
A report to committee says that, of 73 letters received from residents and businesses, only four expressed support. In addition, the council received 833 pre-printed objection cards, 26 objection leaflets produced by Waitrose and a 60-signature petition.
Public objections included claims that the proposal did not improve first impressions of Buxton for visitors by train, and fell short of the aspirations of a Station Road Design Framework adopted by the council after public consultation. It was also claimed that the proposed pedestrian route did not adhere to urban design principles and would encourage antisocial behaviour.
Supportive comments from the public included claims that Buxton needed more shops and more parking.
Derbyshire Constabulary said it could not support the application without further information on detailed crime prevention measures while English Heritage said the proposals would undermine Buxton's high-quality historic environment.
The council's design and conservation team said that the scheme met only 43 per cent of the criteria in the Station Road Design Framework, developed to improve the appearance of the area, while the Environment Agency reported that the proposed flood mitigation measures were insufficient to prevent an unacceptable risk to life and property.
No objections were raised by Derbyshire County Council's highways and archaeology teams, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, United Utilities or the borough council's environmental health team.
Buxton Civic Association was generally supportive of the scheme while the Buxton Group said the proposal would bring an enhanced range of retail provision, a positive and active frontage along Station Road, screening of the existing shopping centre and more parking spaces. However, the Group had developed an alternative possible layout which, it believed, would have a more sympathetic impact on the appearance of the town centre.