100 plus residents attended Buxton Civic Association meeting on Captial&Centric development of Buxton
More than 100 members of Buxton Civic Association met to discuss the plans for the redevelopment of the town centre saying it ‘does not believe the current Capital & Centric proposals represent the right scheme for this significant site’.
A meeting which took place on Wednesday July, 22 where those present unanimously endorsed BCA’s proposed response to the Capital & Centric planning application to High Peak Borough Council.
Dave Green, Chief Executive Officer of BCA, said: “BCA believes Buxton deserves ambitious, high-quality development that respects the town’s unique heritage while securing its future.
“We welcome investment in our town, but we do not believe this particular scheme achieves that balance.
“We also believe that, given the significance of the application and the public interest it has generated, it is important that the decision is not only impartial, but is also seen to be impartial.
“That is why our response calls on High Peak Borough Council to refer the application to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.”
Revitalising Buxton is a £100 million scheme that follows a successful bid by High Peak Borough Council to secure £6.6 million of Future High Streets funding from the Government.
High Peak Borough Council used this funding to acquire The Springs shopping centre in December 2022 with a view to redeveloping the outdated site.
It added £4.2 million of its own money to the scheme.In May 2026 a planning application was submitted to High Peak Borough Council for a mixed-use development of 332 homes (for 880 people) and nearly 4,250 square metres of commercial space that would connect the rail station with Spring Gardens, uncover the River Wye, and create new landscaped public spaces.
Capital&Centric say their vision is to turn The Springs into a ‘destination where people can live, work, and hang out’ which suits people ‘at all stages of life’ and the space will be a mix of ‘indie stores, bars, and eateries’.
As Buxton’s civic association, BCA’s role is to represent the interests of its members and to promote high-quality planning, conservation and development that enhances the town’s unique heritage, environment and character.
As part of its response, BCA is also calling on High Peak Borough Council to refer the application to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), recognising any decision on an application of this significance should not only be impartial, but also be seen to be impartial.
The presentation was led by BCA’s Planning Consultant, John Scott.
He said: “The planning application represents one of the most significant development proposals Buxton has seen in recent years.
“It was important to explain both the planning context and BCA’s assessment of the scheme so members could make an informed judgement.”
Sarah Wilks, Chair of BCA, added: “It was extremely encouraging to see so many members taking the time to engage with such an important issue for Buxton.
“The thoughtful and constructive discussion demonstrated just how much people care about the future of our town.
“We’re grateful for the confidence members have placed in BCA, and their unanimous support gives us a strong mandate as we submit our response.”
BCA has now submitted its response to the planning application to HPBC.
The application will be heard by the Council's independent Development Control Committee later in 2026.