Buxton’s Hogshaw rec saved after U-turn on housing plans

The news that the rec has been saved after negotiations with Homes England will be a welcome relief to campaigners, but the future of the rest of the green space remains in doubt.

Councillor Anthony McKeown, leader of High Peak Borough Council Labour Group said: “Following extensive negotiations with Homes England, Labour-led High Peak Borough Council has finally reached an agreement which means that Hogshaw rec will not be built on.

“Following the concerns raised by local councillors and campaigners opposed to building on the rec, the Labour administration renegotiated the deal, lowering the housing targets and excluding the Hogshaw rec.”

Originally the council allocated Hogshaw as well as land near Granby Road on the other side of the A6 as part of its local plan to meet Government house-building targets.

Access to both sites – delivering 675 homes – will be served by a £3 million roundabout together with access roads at Fairfield Common.

However, crucially, Hogshaw’s two-acre recreation ground – on the former tip – was not included in High Peak Borough Council’s 2016 Adopted Local Plan for housing development.

In September 2021 more than 200 people marched to the town hall in protest at the plans.

Praising the council’s decision Robert Largan MP for High Peak said: “I’m delighted to see High Peak Borough Council have finally U-turned and announced they are scrapping their plans to sell off Hogshaw rec.

“This is very welcome news and down to the efforts of the Friends of Hogshaw. Well done to everyone who was involved.”

Work to prepare for the construction of the A6 roundabout in Fairfield has now started with nine mature trees being felled. These will be replaced by more than 20 native trees including: sycamores, beech, lime, oak and hawthorn as well as native grasses.

Building work for the roundabout is expected to start in May.

High Peak Borough Council said it did not wish to comment further.

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