Apartments and affordable housing proposed for derelict Peak District hotel site

Revised plans to build 21 apartments on the former Marquis of Granby hotel site, in Hathersage Road, Bamford, have been submitted to the Peak District National Park Authority, in addition to new application for three affordable homes.

Applicant the Marquis of Granby (Peak Park) Ltd had an earlier apartment scheme rejected in February, on grounds that it would harm the character of the area and offered no affordable housing provision.

The two applications combined offer three terraced affordable houses in addition to 15 two-bedroom apartments and six three-bedroom apartments.

A planning statement submitted by agents Peacock and Smith said: “The first application is a resubmission of the previous scheme in quantitative terms, albeit with design alterations which seek to reduce the scale and massing of the building.”

The agent added that a financial viability assessment had been included, indicating that although the scheme was of ‘marginal viability’ there was the potential for a ‘sum to be paid for affordable housing to be provided in an off-site location’.

“As a second option, a new full application is submitted for three terraced properties,” they continued.

“These properties are proposed to be affordable housing units which will be offered to registered providers of affordable housing.”

The previous proposals attracted mixed comments from members of the public, including Sir Richard FitzHerbert, of Tissington Hall, who said the derelict site had been an ‘eyesore’ for many years and could do with a new lease of life, however other people said they were disappointed the scheme didn’t offer any affordable housing.

But a planning officer’s report into the application concluded: “The development would not be in the public interest and exceptional circumstances do not exist to justify the proposed major housing development.

“The scale, design and character of the development would harm valued landscape character.”

The hotel went out of business in 2004 and permission was granted in 2007 to demolish the building and replace it with a new hotel and conference facility, which has never taken place.

The scheme also offers car parking and 2.1 acres of landscaped grounds.