Date not provided
I strongly object to planning application HPK/2026/0228. The proposal represents overdevelopment of a sensitive town-centre site. The scale of the scheme, with a very large number of homes and substantial residential floorspace, feels far beyond what was originally presented as a regeneration project. It appears to shift the balance away from town-centre renewal and towards a mainly residential development, which is not what Buxton needs. I am also concerned that the development will place additional strain on already overstretched public services, including schools, doctors and dentists. I am also very concerned about the lack of car parking. The proposals would remove a significant amount of centrally located parking and replace it with much less, which will make access harder for residents, visitors, older people and those with mobility issues. Buxton serves a wide rural catchment and depends on convenient town-centre parking. I do not believe the parking strategy is adequate or reliable enough for a development of this size. The design and architecture of the proposed buildings are also unacceptable. Large contemporary buildings of up to five storeys would sit poorly within Buxton's historic core and would not respect the town's distinctive character. Buxton's heritage and conservation significance should be given great weight, and I do not think this scheme responds positively to that setting. I am further concerned about traffic and access. The proposed changes to Station Road, Palace Road and the surrounding access arrangements appear to create unnecessary pressure on an already constrained area. The cumulative highway impacts need much more careful scrutiny. The housing mix also raises concerns. A large rental-led scheme does not appear to support genuine town-centre living for local people, and I am not convinced it will meet local housing needs in a balanced way. Finally, I am not persuaded that this proposal will strengthen Buxton's town centre economy. Reducing retail floorspace and shifting the site towards housing risks weakening footfall and harming existing businesses rather than supporting them.
[Page 2] For all these reasons, I strongly object to the application.