Gateway resort for National Park wins planners’ backing

CHESTERFIELD council planners have given the go-ahead for a multimillion pound resort in north Derbyshire that aims to serve as a gateway to the Peak District National Park despite campaigners’ concerns about pollution and traffic congestion.

Peak Gateway Properties has already been granted outline planning permission by Chesterfield Borough Council for the PEAK Gateway Resort development at The Brushes, off Sheffield Road, at the former Birchall Golf Course and Brierley Wood and Roughpiece Woods, in

Chesterfield, on Green Belt land, near to the A61 Dronfield bypass and Unstone Green.

Now the council’s planning committee has further approved three final reserved matters concerning permitted uses for the resort buildings, their re-arranged locations and the reconfiguring of access routes for a much reduced project than the one which had originally been granted permission.

Coun Martin Stone, cabinet member for climate change, planning and environment, said: “We always have the same dilemma that we cannot have a development without impact whether it’s traffic or whatever.

“There is no doubt we need economic growth. We need jobs for the future and we need things for young people to use.

“I quite like this scheme. It’s positive about the environment and has taken measures to address those concerns.”

Peak Gateway Properties claims the resort has the potential to create over 1,000 jobs and it will be working with the education sector to deliver a Green Skills Academy in support of both the resort and Chesterfield’s commitment to training especially for construction and tourism.

Following much consideration and speeches from campaigners and farmers James Allsop and Robert Wilson, who are opposed to the 300-acre site with concerns for pollution and traffic congestion, and from Peak Gateway director Rupert Carr, the planning committee voted in favour of approving the three reserved matters.

Plans at the PEAK Gateway Resort leisure venue include a singledomed structure containing a hotel with indoor and outdoor related leisure and educational facilities on a reconfigured golf course and lake together with 250 holiday lodges with access to the site from a new roundabout at the junction of the A61 slip road with Sheffield Road.

The scheme aims to feature a “gateway” hotel; travel hub and PEAK Express Terminus; horticulture building; Ultimate Outdoors outlet; skills academy and hostel; ‘Village Shop’ artisan market; leisure and shop spaces; food and drink outlets; 1,587 car parking spaces and 160 electric vehicle charging points.