A new 200-space Buxton car park will open in Spring 2027 and 100 new council owned family homes will also be built in the coming years, High Peak Borough Council has said.

In December 2022 the council bought The Springs shopping centre after a successful bid of £6.6 million from the Government’s Future High Street Fund, to help address a 10 per cent drop in the town’s population, increasing shop vacancy rates and a desire to see improvement in the town centre.

It appointed Capital&Centric in 2024 to develop plans for the site.

The council is also purchasing land from DB Cargo formerly used as a railway depot beside Buxton station to provide up to 200 new town centre parking spaces.

Capital&Centric is investing £100m in the town and to support the regeneration High Peak Borough Council will be building a 200-space car park and 100 council owned homes , subject to planning approvals . Photo Capital&Centric

placeholder image — Capital&Centric is investing £100m in the town and to support the regeneration High Peak Borough Council will be building a 200-space car park and 100 council owned homes , subject to planning approvals . Photo Capital&Centric

They will sit close to the Springs shopping centre.

The new car park is due to open in spring 2027, subject to a planning application, which will be before any construction work takes place in the town centre.

Making the council’s announcement, Councillor Damien Greenhalgh, Deputy Leader and Executive Councillor for Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure said: “We have been working on the re-development of the town centre for the past seven years.

“I am excited and pleased to say we have now reached a major milestone – with an application submitted alongside a commitment by this Council to address concerns we have been hearing about car parking and the lack of affordable housing."

Capital&Centric has now submitted formal plans for the development which if approved will see them build 332 homes for rent in the town centre with accompanying leisure and retail.

It will make five per cent of the homes available at reduced rent for local people.

Conscious of the need to create more affordable housing, the council has decided to add to this by building 100 new family council homes on Granby Road in the Fairfield area of the town.

Councillor Greenhalgh said: “These developments are all subject to a planning decision by the Council’s independent Development Control Committee, but they do show our intent - along with Capital&Centric - to revitalise the town with a new quality housing, leisure and retail offer that complements what already makes Buxton so special.”

He said providing much needed affordable housing has long been a challenge in Buxton because of the ‘development costs and market conditions’, so, he says, it is important the council creates new opportunities where they can.

“Building our own houses is a positive step to address local housing needs.”

Councillor Greenhalgh said the council has listened about parking concerns, especially as some spaces will go at The Springs car park for development.

And he says the council has carried out a whole town car parking survey, and a transport assessment which is to be released at a later date.

He added: “Overall, we are confident that Capital&Centric’s £100 million+ development in Buxton is the best way to secure the town’s future prosperity, subject to planning decisions.

“If the planning green light is given, we will also ensure that any disruption to the town, traders and parking during future building work is kept to the absolute minimum.”