Date not provided
I object to planning application HPK/2026/0228 in the strongest possible terms. This proposal appears to be overdevelopment of a very sensitive town-centre site. What was presented as a regeneration scheme now seems dominated by a very large residential element, with around 332 homes for rent and a substantial increase in residential floorspace. That is a major shift in scale and purpose, and I do not believe it is justified in Buxton's historic core. I am also very concerned about the lack of car parking. The scheme removes a large amount of centrally located parking and appears to replace it with significantly less, with some of the replacement provision dependent on separate applications and future infrastructure. Buxton serves a wide rural catchment and attracts many visitors, and convenient town-centre parking is essential for residents, older people, disabled people and those with mobility issues. Any replacement parking should be fully approved, deliverable and available before a scheme of this scale is allowed to proceed. The architecture, scale and massing of the proposed buildings are also unacceptable. Buildings of up to five storeys in the historic core would sit poorly within Buxton's distinctive Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian townscape. The design does not appear to respond positively enough to the town's character or its heritage assets. Buxton's special historic significance deserves development that respects and enhances its setting, not large contemporary blocks that risk harming it. I am further concerned that this proposal does not properly support the kind of town-centre living and balanced housing mix that Buxton needs. A largely rental-led scheme of this scale risks becoming a private residential development rather than the regeneration project local people were led to expect. It does not give me confidence that the public interest is being properly served. [Page 2] There are also wider concerns about the impact on civic assets and public confidence. In the context of changes affecting Buxton's museum, town hall and other civic buildings, there is a real sense that important public assets are being lost or weakened while functions are shifted into a private scheme. That undermines trust in the process. Finally, I believe the timing of this decision is poor given the forthcoming Local Government Reorganisation. This is a long-term scheme with consequences that will last for decades, and it would be better for such a significant decision to be considered with proper regard to the future authority that will inherit it. If the proposal were substantially revised, it might become more acceptable. In particular, I would need to see a much reduced scale, a more sympathetic design, fully secured and deliverable parking, and a better balance of uses and housing types that genuinely supports Buxton town centre and its heritage. As it stands, however, I object.