Plans to demolish and rebuild historic Buxton hotel refused by council
Plans to demolish and rebuild Buxton’s historic Buckingham Hotel have once again been rejected by High Peak Borough Council.
The proposals were rejected at a meeting of the authority’s development control committe on Monday, with several previous similar applications for the site having been rejected over the last few years.
The application sought permission to see the Burlington Road hotel knocked down and rebuilt, citing safety concerns. Built in 1876, the hotel would have been replaced with a 95-bed hotel with underground parking and underground rooms if the plan were approved.
Councillors said they were sick of seeing the plans come forward and as well as rejecting them, they asked if there was a way to stop it returning in the future.
Councillor Emily Thrane said: “I’m totally mystified why this proposal keeps coming back as we are not going to agree with the demolition of an historic hotel in a conservation area.”
Speaking during the meeting, Roddie MacLean, an architect of 30 years and chair of the town’s tourist board Vision Buxton, questioned why people were still able to book a stay at the hotel if the building was so unsafe.
He said: “This is a short sighted development.”
He noted the climate emergency called in 2019 would not be helped by the demolition and rebuilding of a hotel.
Roddie added: “With my Vision Buxton hat, on extra spend and more overnight stays in the town is a good thing but why, when we have all this beautiful countryside on our doorstep would people want to stay underground?”
Councillor Jean Todd said: “I echo Mr MacLean’s concerns on climate change.
"The impact of the demolition and rebuild would be ten times that on carbon energy than just improving the building.
"I have sat in a meeting at the hotel in its current basement and a flood came across the floor so what will happen with underground rooms?"
Councillor Stewart Young said it beggared belief that the application was back before the council and Councillor Alan Burrows added: “Enough is enough. Can we refuse to accept this if it comes again in the future?”
The plan was unanimously rejected by councillors.