20 July 2026
I wish to object to this planning application in its current form. Firstly, I want to make it clear that I am not opposed to redeveloping The Springs site. I think it has needed investment for many years and I welcome the opportunity to improve this important part of Buxton. I also recognise that there is a place for some new housing within the development. My objection is not to redevelopment itself, but to the current proposals. My biggest concern is parking. Buxton is a rural market and tourist town that serves a large surrounding area. People travel here from across the Peak District to shop, work, attend events, visit the Pavilion Gardens, the Opera House and the many festivals that take place throughout the year. Public transport simply isn't good enough to replace the need for cars for many residents and visitors. Even on an ordinary Sunday, outside any major festival, I experienced queues just to access parking in the town centre. That suggests demand is already high. The assumptions within the transport assessment do not reflect the reality of how Buxton works. What concerns me most is that the proposed replacement car park behind the railway station does not even form part of this planning application and, as I understand it, planning permission has not yet been submitted. Given how fundamental parking is to the success of Buxton town centre, I believe this should have been a key part of the redevelopment from the outset. Instead, it feels like an afterthought that has been added later in response to [Page 2] concerns rather than properly planned as part of the overall scheme. I do not believe it is appropriate to reduce existing parking before replacement parking has been fully approved and secured. There are also practical issues that I do not feel have been properly considered. Is it really reasonable to expect people to push full shopping trolleys from Waitrose up the hill to reach the proposed car park? This may seem like a small point, but it illustrates how disconnected some of the proposals feel from the day-to-day reality of using the town centre. The proposed reduction in parking also seems at odds with introducing hundreds of new residents to the town centre. While I support some new housing, additional residents will inevitably increase demand for parking and local services. I am also concerned that the number of flats proposed is simply too great for the site. I support some new housing, but this feels overdeveloped. A lower-density scheme would provide an opportunity for better public spaces, more landscaping and a development that sits more comfortably within the town. My next concern is the design of the development. Buxton is renowned for its beautiful historic architecture, particularly its Georgian and Victorian buildings. The proposed development feels generic and could be built almost anywhere in the country. It does not reflect the character of Buxton or complement the surrounding conservation area. Modern architecture can still respect the identity of a historic town, and I believe a far more sympathetic design is both achievable and appropriate. Finally, I do not believe the proposals fully reflect what residents have consistently said they want from this site. Throughout the consultation there has been repeated support for retaining convenient town centre parking, ensuring any redevelopment complements Buxton's historic character, and creating a scheme that enhances the town rather than simply maximising the number of residential units. At times, it feels as though the development has been designed around assumptions about what Buxton wants, rather than by listening to what residents have consistently said the town actually needs. I know we need to do something with The Springs. I just don't think this is the right answer. We only get one chance to redevelop such an important site, so let's make sure we get it right. I therefore respectfully ask that this application is refused in its current form.