Date not provided
I strongly object to planning application HPK/2026/0228. My main concerns are about the scale, massing and appearance of the proposed buildings. Large contemporary buildings of up to five storeys in Buxton's historic core would not, in my view, respect or enhance the town's distinctive character. Buxton has exceptional heritage significance, including its Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian townscape, conservation areas and historic setting, and this scheme appears to place too much weight on development at the expense of that character. The heritage and conservation impact is therefore a serious concern. Great weight should be given to conserving heritage assets and their settings, and I do not believe this proposal does enough to protect or respond positively to Buxton's historic environment. I also object on traffic and access grounds. The scheme involves major changes to access across existing parking areas, alterations to the Palace Road and Station Road junctions, and the creation of new vehicle routes where pedestrian access currently exists. These changes could worsen traffic, reduce pedestrian safety and create further pressure on the surrounding highway network. The cumulative highway impacts need far more scrutiny. Another concern is the lack of adequate car parking. This proposal would remove a large amount of centrally located parking and replace it with significantly less, with some of the replacement parking apparently depending on separate applications and future infrastructure. Buxton serves a wide rural catchment and attracts many visitors, so convenient town-centre parking is essential for shoppers, older people and those with mobility issues. I do not consider the parking arrangements to be sufficiently clear, deliverable or acceptable. [Page 2] The public realm and landscape impacts are also a concern. The proposal appears to involve significant engineering work, excavation near a steep embankment and possible loss of trees. Any public realm benefits need to be clear, deliverable and proportionate to a scheme of this scale, and I am not persuaded that they are. I am further concerned about the environmental impact. The loss of trees, works near the embankment, increased traffic and the scale of construction all raise serious environmental issues which have not been properly addressed. Finally, the construction disruption would be severe. A scheme of this scale could cause years of disturbance to traffic, access, pedestrians and nearby businesses, with no clear commitment to support existing retailers during the works. For all these reasons, I strongly object to the application.