Former bank News playing host to ‘riff raff’
RESIDENTS WANT SOLUTION AS DEVELOPER LOSES FLATS APPEAL
RESIDENTS in a Derbyshire town want to see an historic building brought back into use instead of playing host to “riff-raff” and “undesirables” smashing bottles and windows.
In Snitterton Road, Matlock, facing the bustling thoroughfare of Derwent Way through the town centre, lies the former RBS Bank building, – dating back to the 18th Century.
In June last year, Derbyshire Dales District Council rejected plans from Oxygen 56 to convert it into 22 apartments, with some in the Grade IIlisted property and most in two new modern buildings next to it. An appeal from the developer has also been refused, meaning the future of the historic site has returned to a state of limbo.
When the Derby Telegraph visited it, residents made their opinions clear – they want it used but do not want any change to damage the character of the town.
Oliver Gaffney, who has lived next to the site for 14 years, said: “I definitely want a development put forward, but not 22 apartments with the traffic mayhem and everything else that it would cause. We need something else doing to the site sooner rather than later. Most nights there are children smashing glass and being antisocial on the site.
“Offices or apartments, but not on the scale of 22, would be acceptable.”
Mr Gaffney said he was also concerned at the impact the construction could have had on the foundations of his property.
Vivian Clayton, who has lived next to the site for two years, told the LDRS: “We don’t mind it being turned into flats, but we are currently concerned about the riffraff and the traffic would have been a nightmare – 22 cars trying to get to work out of that junction on to Dale Road would have been a nightmare.
“Apartments could be acceptable especially if they are upmarket, because there wouldn’t be any riffraff. Three storeys next to our home would have taken away our privacy. If the apartment blocks were the same height as the bank and no higher. We want something to happen; it is derelict and we have kids every night smashing bottles and windows and homeless people throwing rubbish and sleeping there.”
She said the influx of more housing would also cause issues for the Victorian sewer network in the area.
Paul Birch, who lives near the site, said: “As long as it is not another pub I am all for it. We have got enough pubs now and it is becoming like the
Wild West now with boozy behaviour and noise.
“If the plans are brought down in scale and kept more of the character, that is fine. There are a few undesirable types going to the bank at night now and they basically have free rein.”
Penny Monroe, who has lived in Snitterton Road for four years, said: “It is just sad it is derelict. I wasn’t opposed to the flats, anything that brings the site back into use I am happy with... it is an eyesore and an empty site in the town centre.”
In rejecting the developer’s appeal, planning inspector Elaine Gray wrote in her report that the planned new apartment buildings next to the 18th Century bank, would be “overtly contemporary”, saying that “a deliberate architectural contrast to the existing style of a heritage asset can often be a successful design approach”. She wrote: “In this case, however, the visual contrast between the new northern block and Bank House would be stark.
“This factor, taken with the excessive size of the new block, would result in a development that would be almost combative in its relationship to the listed building. It would harmfully dominate Bank House and draw attention from it, effectively demoting the heritage asset within its own setting.”
Council leader Cllr Garry Purdy, had said previously: “What we were concerned about is that they wanted to knock down a part of the heritage of the old bank and what they were intending to replace it with our officers were not happy with at all, they wanted something more in keeping with the heritage asset.”
Cllr Richard FitzHerbert, the council’s heritage champion, said the applicants needed to bring forward plans which were in keeping with that specific area of Matlock.
He had said previously: “I would appeal for them to try again. We want that part of Matlock to be developed because, unfortunately, since the banks have left towns, that bit is an eyesore and it needs proper remediation.”