Landmark crane to be removed despite support
COUNCILLORS have voted to have a vintage crane lauded by villagers as a “local landmark” removed from display.
Steve Foster Crane Hire applied to Derbyshire Dales District Council to keep its Priestman Crawler crane in situ, in a paddock off Derby Road, Doveridge.
The crane, which has recently been restored, had been on display at the family run firm’s base at the heart of the village for a few years and the district council’s planning department was reportedly called in following a complaint from a householder that overlooked the paddock.
Following the application for planning permission to keep the crane in its place, a petition was launched to urge planners to allow it to stay and more than 800 people signed up in support.
The district council also received 44 official letters in support of the application, from villagers who feel the crane has become a recognised landmark in the village and say fills their children with joy when they see it lit up for the first time at Christmas. However six villagers, including one that lives metres away from the crane, and some who have moved into new estates in Doveridge, sent in letters of objection, suggesting it the machine is an “eyesore” in a country village.
District councillors who attended last week’s virtual planning meeting were told that the crane had been in situ for two years but a complaint led to an enforcement notice being served on the business - and the planning application was submitted in response to the notice.
Discussing it over Zoom, some councillors voiced their fears over the safety of the crane, which they thought could attract youngsters to climb its 18-metre jib. But they were reminded the safety implications of a machine on private land was not within the planning committee’s remit. Wirksworth ward member Peter Slack moved the recommendation that the application should be refused but, before he could find a seconder, Dovedale and Parwich ward member Sir Richard Fitzherbert spoke out in support of the crane.
He told members he felt it was sitting in a very well maintained field at a smart entrance to a valuable local business. “You see their cranes on the roads everywhere, and I think we should be applauding local businesses especially at this time,” he said.
“I think the over-riding majority of comments that have been posted about it have been positive and I’m personally quite happy that it doesn’t result in an adverse impact of the amenity.”
But the few remaining councillors who did want to see the crane stay in situ conceded their decision would be dictated by clear planning law, which led them to support the recommendation to refuse it.
Councillor Robert Archer, for Ashbourne South, said he personally liked the crane and wanted it to stay in place – but he admitted that was a personal view and he went on to second Councillor Slack’s motion.
“Having heard the planning law tonight,” he said, “I will clearly have to go along with the recommendation, as it clearly is a breach of planning law. And therefore, even though I personally have no objections to it, I think I will be voting in favour of the officer’s recommendation.”
Ten councillors voted to refuse the application, and two councillors voted to keep it.
The over-riding majority of comments posted about it have been positive.
Cllr Sir Richard Fitzherbert