Visitor centre alterations at Castleton Visitor Centre Buxton Road Castleton

The site and surroundings

The centre is in Castleton’s Conservation Area, near a Scheduled Monument, public car park and residential properties, and within Flood Zones 2 and 3.

“Castleton National Park Centre is at the western end of Castleton, north of the road to Winnat’s Pass, around 110m north west of St Edmund’s Church and within the Conservation Area. The ‘Town defences 270m north and 350m north east of Peveril Castle’ Scheduled Monument is 16m to the east. The site is within Flood Zone 2 and 3.”

“There are public toilets attached to the northern end of the centre and the public car park adjacent to the site, with a shared access, operated by High Peak Borough Council. Orchard House is approximately 6.5m to the west of the centre. A further mixture of properties are located 13.5m to the south.”

Officer report

Earlier permissions

Earlier permissions covered the visitor and heritage centre, altered opening hours, external works, visitor-centre reconfiguration and an outside café area.

“2001: Planning permission granted conditionally for conversion and extension of existing building to form visitor / heritage centre. The above planning permission was granted subject to a planning condition which prevented any change between the approved layout of uses within the building along with a condition which restricts hours of opening to between 08:00 – 20:00 Monday to Saturday and 09:00 – 20:00 on Sundays.”

“2016: External alterations and internal re-configuration of existing visitor centre for retail area, tourist and information services, museum, café, classroom and interpretation space granted conditionally. The permission includes restrictions on activity and openings on the west elevation, and restricts hours of opening to 09:00 – 17:00 on any day.”

Officer report

Officers’ recommendation

Officers recommended approval because the development was acceptable in principle and in design, heritage, flood risk, highways and residential amenity terms, subject to conditions.

“The Class E use is acceptable in principle due to the location with the centre of Castleton, whilst the reduction in existing museum space is accepted on balance having regard to the re-organisation of the building and introduction of new Class E unit to support the continued provision of a smaller area of museum / interpretation space and the visitor centre. The extension and alterations are also acceptable in principle.”

“The development is concluded to be acceptable in all other respects relating to design, heritage, flood risk, highways and residential amenity, subject to a number of recommended conditions.”

Officer report

Representations received

The consultation ended without representations, and Historic England had no objections to the application.

“The Planning Officer presented the report and outlined the reasons for approval as detailed in the report. Since the publication of the report the consultation period has ended and no representations have been submitted.”

Minutes

Who spoke

The planning officer presented the report and outlined the reasons for approval.

Committee discussion

Members considered approval with amended refuse-storage and archaeology conditions, plus new conditions on opening hours and flood-risk compliance.

“Condition 3 would be amended so that details are received of refuse storage prior to Class E coming into use. • Condition 7 amended as a written scheme of investigation has been received and therefore the application would be compliant with this document.”

“A condition confirming the hours of operation of the Class E use. • Full compliance with Flood Risk Assessment and the mitigation measures within this document.”

Minutes

The vote

A motion to approve the application with the amended and additional conditions was proposed, seconded and carried.

“A motion to approve the application with the amended and additional conditions outlined below was proposed and seconded, put to the vote and carried.”

Minutes

The decision

The application was approved with conditions covering refuse storage, archaeology, Class E uses, opening hours and flood-risk mitigation.

“That the application be APPROVED for the following reasons:”

“Compliance with flood risk assessment and mitigation.”

Minutes